trot. 


MOTHER  GOOSE'S  NURSERY 

RHYMES,  TALES  AND 

JINGLES. 


MPLETE    EDITION,    WITH    NOTES    AND    CRITICAL 
ILLUSTRATIVE    REMARKS 

BY    W.    GANNON. 


NEW  YORK : 

HURST  &  COMPANY, 

PUBLISHERS. 


COPYRIGHT,  1902,  BY  HURST  &  COMPANY. 


INTRODUCTION. 


"C*ROM  the  vantage  ground  of  fifty — that  age  when,  forehanded, 

swift  we 

Round  up  treasure  in  a  thrifty  pile  for  possible  future  use, 
We're  called,  in  gen'rous  spirit,  to  debit  life's  demerit, 
And  credit  own  to  first  inspirings  of  our  now  successful  Muse — 
To  give   and   take  with   even  hand — the  gain  is  Truth's,  e'en 

though  we  lose. 

II. 
Lose  what!   The  lime-light  glory,  self-trained   on   "self-made" 

story, 

That  in  the  days  of  yore  we  set  such  monumental  store  by  ? 
Though  still  fain  we'd  face  the  mirror  where  gleams  the  mirage 

of  our  lives, 

"  A  saner,  sad  reflection,"  a  wiser  introspection, 
An  early  recollection  slants  the  shadow,  and  it  gives  ! 

III. 

No  architects  of  life  are  we !  our  forbears  duly  earned  the  fee 
Of  knowledge,   life  and  liberty,  so   freely  hurled   adown  the 

ages— 

If  haply  we  assimilate  a  maxim  or  a  thought  that's  great, 
And   primp  it  to  a  fine  estate,  may  we  loll  back  and   pose  as 

sages  ? 
Ask  the  publisher,  who  coldly  looks  upon  our  work  as — pages. 


2055999 


iv INTRODUCTION. 

IV. 

And  so  the  boy's  the  pere  of  man,  («•  since  Adam  delved  and  ETC 

span,") 

And  ere  his  Cupid's  bow  began  its  'prenticeship  to  lispings, 
His  petaled  ears  and   star-gemmed  eyes  had  found   a  new  and 

wondrous  use 
In  drawing  in  the  honeyed   rhyme,  the  cymbal-sounding  eerie 

chime 
Of  the  "  Once  upon  a  time  !"  as  told  by  Grand  old  Mother  Goose. 

V. 

Ring  the   changes   once  again !    Let's   hark  back   to  Mother's 

strain ! 
Aside  with  pomp,  with  grime,  with  gain  !    We  call  an  honorable 

truce ! 
"  Little  Boy  Blue,  come  blow  your  horn  !"    Rouse  the  echoes  of 

our  morn  ! 
Appear  !  thou  "  Maiden  all  Forlorn,"  "  Old  King  Cole,"  "Wise 

Doctor  Goose," 
"  Simple  Simon,"  "  Little  Bo-Peep, "  and  "  Priest  all  Shaven  and 

Shorn !" 

VI. 

A  thousand  strings  are  thrummed — all  good  or  ill  in  life  is 
summed 

Between  those  pictured  leaves  we  thumbed  in  the  days  when 
time  was  nought — 

Elfin  cloudland,  wraith  of  mistfield,  peace  of  forest,  rip  of  river, 

In  iridescent  colors  brushed,  flacked  with  glow-worm  gems  en- 
crushed, 

Live  with  us  until  life  is  hushed,  and  will  live  on  and  on  forever ! 


INTRODUCTION. 


VII. 

Who's  he  can  sum  the  honest  dues  her  goslings  owe  in  th'  ab- 
struse 

For  life-guide  hints  to  Mother  Goose — hints  to  fit  or  king  or 
clown: 

As — "  One  foot  up,  t'other  down,  that's  the  way  to  London  town  !" 

So,  self-help,  plodding,  gains  the  crown — a  leaven  ever  fresh  for 
use — 

From  childhood's  alma  mater — our  charming  second  Mother 
— Goose ! 

JULY  25,  1902. 


HISTORY  OF  MOTHER  GOOSE. 


nrO  "  begin  at  the  beginning  "  with  this  immortal  classic  of 
babyhood,  we  should  probably  have  to  go  back  to  the  Gar- 
den of  Eden,  for  to  Mother  Love  must  be  accorded  the  progressive 
authorship  of  "  Mother  Goose." 

And  the  ways  of  motherhood  are  the  same  the  wide  world  over 
— tender,  watchful,  vigilant — madly  proud  of  the  first  physical 
essays  that  go  to  prove  her  bantling  "  the  most  wonderful  ever" 
— keenly  alert  to  catch  and  translate  the  earliest  lispings  of  her 
darling — and  prompt  to  fan  into  intelligence  the  first  vital  spark 
of  infantine  intellect. 

It  is  certain  that  the  Chaldean,  Hebrew  and  Roman  matrons 
crooned  inspiring  song  and  story  into  the  infantile  ears  of 
prophets,  kings  and  warriors,  just  as  "my  lady"  of  to-day 
breathes  the  story  of  "  The  House  that  Jack  Built "  or  "The 
Death  of  Cock  Robin  "  into  the  ears  of  future  presidents,  states- 
men, painters  and  poets.  Indeed,  the  framework  of  "The 
House  that  Jack  Built "  is  Chaldean,  as  will  be  seen  from  the 
curious  addenda  attached  to  that  story  in  the  present  volume. 

Andrew  Lang,  who  has  devoted  some  of  his  valuable  time 
toward  the  discovery  of  the  authorship  of  "  Mother  Goose," 
asks:  "  Had  we  a  '  Mother  Goose '  before  Perrault's  '  Mere 
1'Oye '  became  familiar  here  ?  Grimm  says  Perrault  borrowed 
his  title  from  'a  fabliau;'  but  this  is  vague,  and  Grimm  may 
have  had  «  La  Reine  Pedauque  '  in  his  mind.  We  folk-lorists, 
who  trace  kin  in  the  early  way — through  the  mother's  side — we 
goslings  of  Mother  Goose — should  know  more  about  the  ances- 
tress of  us  all."—  [London  Aihenceum,  vol.  for  1887,  page  287.] 
vi 


HISTORY  OF  MOTHER  GOOSE.          vii 

The  title  of  the  work  referred  to  by  Mr.  Lang  is  usually  trans- 
lated, "Tales  of  my  Mother  Goose;"  but  it  will  be  conceded 
that  the  rendering  is  somewhat  free.  The  Frenchman,  Charles 
Perrault,  brought  out  this  work — a  collection  of  fairy  tales  —  in 
the  year  1697,  his  daughter's  name,  Perrault  d'Armancourt,  ap- 
pearing on  the  title-page  as  author. 

There  is  no  interior  resemblance  between  Perrault's  book  and 
our  "  Mother  Goose,"  but  the  coincidence  in  title  has  served  to 
excite  remark  as  well  as  to  provoke  research. 

"  Mother  Goose  "  is  very  English  in  its  allusions,  idioms  and 
literary  mannerisms,  so  much  so  that  probably  nine  out  of  ten  be- 
lieve it  had  its  origin  in  the  land  of  Shakespeare  and  Milton. 
That  the  rhymes  and  stories  were,  in  the  main,  imported,  via 
folk-lore,  there  can  be  no  manner  of  doubt — and  that  all  the 
nations  of  the  earth  contributed  to  this  grand  mosaic  is  plainly 
evident — yet  to  our  own  great  nation  must  be  conceded  the 
honor  of  first  collecting  and  printing  "  Mother  Goose's  Melodies," 
substantially  as  we  have  them  to-day. 

Even  to  the  title  (notwithstanding  the  Perrault  coincidence) 
the  work  is  American,  being  named  in  compliment  to  a  Boston 
lady,  whose  antecedents  we  have  been  enabled  to  follow  so 
closely  as  to  eliminate  any  possible  doubt  from  the  matter. 

To  William  A.  Wheeler,  author  of  a  "  Dictionary  of  Noted 
Names  of  Fiction,"  are  we  indebted  for  the  statement  that 
"  Mother  Goose  "  was  named  for  a  real  character,  whose  true 
name  was  Elizabeth  Vergoose. 

Vertigoose  was  the  original  family  name  of  this  good  dame, 
when  her  ancestors  reached  these  shores  from  England,  in  the 
year  of  1650.  This  three-syllabled  name  was  eventually  clipped, 
as  above  stated,  from  whence  the  transition  to  one  syllable — 
Goose — was  familiarly  simple.  Under  this  name  she  had  the 
happy  chance  to  meet  with  one  Thomas  Fleet,  an  English  dis- 


viii         HISTORY  OF  MOTHER  GOOSE. 

ciple  of  "  the  art  preservative,"  who  reached  the  town  of  Boston 
in  the  early  part  of  the  eighteenth  century,  under  cover  of  "  seek- 
ing his  fortune." 

He  found  it — in  marrying  one  of  the  numerous  daughters  of 
the  good  dame — supplementing  this  serious  step  by  setting  up  a 
printing  office  on  his  own  account,  which  apparently  flourished 
from  the  start.  It  being  a  common  thing  in  those  days  for 
printers  to  add  a  publishing  department,  as  a  side  issue  to  their 
main  business,  the  enterprising  Fleet  determined  to  enter  the 
lists  with  his  competitors.  And  here  he  probably  found  a  con- 
genial work-mate  in  his  mother-in  law,  whose  large  family  pre- 
supposes the  acquirement  and  use  of  an  extensive  repertory  of 
child-satisfying  story  and  verse,  gleaned  from  her  foregatherers, 
and,  no  doubt  added  to  by  herselt,  as  she  could  easily  pass  for 
the  typical  "old  woman  who  lived  in  a  shoe,"  being  the  mother 
and  stepmother  of  no  less  than  sixteen  children.  At  any  rate,  in 
the  Year  of  Our  Lord,  1719,  there  appeared  from  Fleet's  press  an 
unpretentious  volume,  entitled,  "Songs  for  the  Nursery,  or, 
Mother  Goose's  Melodies  for  Children — printed  by  Thomas  Fleet, 
at  his  printing  house,  Pudding  Lane.  Price,  Two  Coppers." 

It  may  be  well  to  state  here  that  Pudding  Lane  has  disap- 
peared from  the  face  of  Boston's  map,  giving  place  to  a  less 
hearty  but  more  euphonious  designation— Devonshire  street. 

The  record  of  marriages  in  the  City  Registrar's  office  of  Bos- 
ton shows  that,  on  June  8,  1715,  the  Rev.  Cotton  Mather  married 
Thomas  Fleet  to  Elizabeth  Goose.  The  happy  couple  took  up 
their  residence  in  Pudding  Lane,  under  the  same  roof  that 
covered  the  historic  printing  office. 

All  annals  are  silent  as  to  the  future  efforts  and  history  of  the 
Fleets  and  the  Gooses,  save  the  stone  annals  of  the  churchyard, 
from  which  we  gather  that  the  last  of  the  name  of  Goose  died 
nearly  a  hundred  years  ago  (in  1807,)  and  was  laid  to  rest  in  the 


HISTORY  OF  MOTHER  GOOSE.  ix 

Old  Granary  Burying  Ground,  "  where  probably  the  whole  brood 
now  repose." 

Bowditch,  in  his  book  of  "  Suffolk  Names,"  refers  to  "  the 
wealthy  family  of  Goose,"  and  says  they  were  extensive  land- 
holders in  Boston  as  early  as  1660. 

In  order  to  present  a  full  and  impartial  account  of  the  origin 
of  this  work,  we  must  not  fail  to  insert  here  a  recent  statement 
made  by  an  apparently  well-informed  correspondent  of  the 
Boston  Transcript,  who,  while  conceding  that  ttn»  Boston 
"  Mother  Goose  "  was  the  first  collected  edition  of  the  famous 
"Melodies"  put  into  print,  yet  says:  "It  is  well-known  to 
antiquarians  that  more  than  two  hundred  years  ago  there  was 
a  small  book  in  circulation  in  London,  bearing  the  name  of 
1  Rhymes  for  the  Nursery,  or  Lull-Bies  for  Children,'  which  con- 
tained many  of  the  identical  pieces  which  have  been  handed 
down  to  us  under  the  '  Mother  Goose '  title." 

Wheeler  declares  that  our  English  cousins  have  had  no  ac- 
quaintance with  any  other  "Mother  Goose"  than  Perrault's  and 
Dibdin's — no  English  bibliographical  work  consulted  by  him 
contains  the  name;  "it  is  not  mentioned  in  any  catalogue  of 
•  chap  books,'  •  garlands,'  popular  histories,  old  or  rare  books,  or 
the  like." 

Even  Halliwell,  in  his  "  Nursery  Rhymes  of  England,"  makes 
no  mention  of  "  Mother  Goose." 

Wheeler's  reference  to  Dibdin  needs  explanation.  The  lat- 
ter's  work  was  a  pantomime,  which  turned  on  the  theme  of 
"the  goose  that  laid  a  golden  egg,"  and  which,  of  course,  has 
no  bearing  on  the  present  inquiry.  Charles  Dibdin,  though 
remembered  principally  as  a  writer  of  sturdy  sea-songs,  was  a 
comedian  and  playwright  of  great  power,  who,  in  the  year  1806, 
produced  this  pantomime,  under  the  name  of  "  Mother  Goose, 
Or  the  Golden  Egg."  Strangely  enough,  through  Charles 


x  HISTORY  OF  MOTHER  GOOSE. 

Dickens,  in  his  "Life  of  Grimaldi,"  we  learn  that  this  panto- 
mime was  produced  at  Covent  Garden,  and  had  a  run  of  ninety- 
two  nights,  "  acquiring  " — we  use  the  words  of  Dickens — ««  a  de- 
gree of  popularity  unprecedented  in  the  history  of  pantomime." 
Later  on,  our  own  pantomimist,  Fox,  it  will  be  recalled,  borrow- 
ing his  title,  too,  from  "  Mother  Goose,"  played  "  Humpty 
Dumpty"  by  the  year,  successively!  beating  all  playhouse 
records  before  or  since. 

Touch'ns  on  the  curious  similarity  of  title  between  the  French 
Dook  of  fairy  tales  and  the  American  book  of  melodies,  a  French 
writer,  named  Collin  de  Planay,  furnishes  a  strange  historical 
narrative,  explanatory  of  the  naming  of  Perrault's  book.  The 
tale  is  thus  condensed,  and  given  without  prejudice  to  religion 
or  morals,  solely  for  the  purpose  of  throwing  any  side-light 
available  on  any  and  everything  connected  with  the  authorship, 
printing,  and  naming  of  "  Mother  Goose :" 

King  Robert  II.  of  France  took  to  wife  his  relative  Bertha, 
but  was  at  once  commanded  by  Pope  Gregory  V.  to  relinquish 
her,  and  to  perform  a  seven- years'  penance  for  marrying  within 
the  forbidden  degree  of  consanguinity.  The  King  refused,  and 
was  promptly  excommunicated.  This  action  on  the  part  of 
Rome  placed  the  Kingdom  interdict,  and  the  royal  family  found 
itself  forsaken  by  all,  save  two  old  retainers,  who  remained 
loyal,  despite  their  threatened  spiritual  death.  The  hardships 
the  royal  pair  endured  during  this  first  recorded  example  of 
"boycott,"  brought  on  premature  confinement  to  the  Queen, 
when  her  wily  enemies  contrived  to  foist  upon  the  harassed 
King  a  featherless  goose,  horrifying  him  with  the  thought  that 
his  wife  had  given  birth  to  it.  And  so  he  repented  his  sin, 
repudiated  Bertha,  and  made  his  peace  with  Rome. 

From  this  tale  has  sprung  a  proverbial  French  saying  in 
reference  to  incredible  or  extravagant  stories:  that  it  must  have 


HISTORY  OF  MOTHER  GOOSE.  xi 

happened  "when  Queen  Bertha  spun,"  and  they  call  such  a  tale 
one  of  "  Queen  Goose's  "  or  "  Mother  Goose's  stories."  This  is  said 
to  be  carried  out  to  the  letter  in  the  first  editions  of  Perrault's 
book,  "where  the  front  page  pictures  'Mother  Goose'  at  her 
distaff,  and  surrounded  by  a  group  of  children,  whom  she  holds 
entranced  by  her  wondrous  tales." 

The  writer  has  never  had  the  good  fortune  to  handle  a  copy 
of  the  first  "Mother  Goose" — the  Thomas  Fleet  and  Boston 
publication — but  that  it  was  fully  in  keeping  with  its  ••  two  cop- 
pers "price  is  well-known.  The  illustrations  were  startling  at- 
tempts, and  the  cover  picture  is  described  as  "something, 
probably  intended  to  represent  a  goose,  with  a  very  long  neck 
and  a  very  wide  open  mouth." 

But  Thomas  Fleet  "  builded  better  than  he  knew,"  and,  de- 
spite the  crude  output  from  his  modest  press,  the  name  of  Fleet 
will  ever  remain  associated  with  his  bantling,  "  Mother  Goose." 

And  here  it  may  not  be  deemed  presumptuous  of  the  publishers 
of  this  present  volume  to  make  a  little  comparison — and  that  as 
little  odious  as  possible — between  the  mechanical  and  artistic 
chasm  that  yawns  between  the  first  production  of"  MotherGoose" 
and  this,  the  last,  which,  with  the  reader's  favor,  stands  as  the 
apotheosis  of"  Mother  Goose"  in  the  book-making  world! 


CONTENTS. 


Pag* 

INTRODUCTION 3 

HISTORY  OF  MOTHER  GOOSE   .....         6 

INDEX 407 

FIRST  CLASS. 
HISTORICAL   ........       15 

SECOND  CLASS. 

LITERAL 37 

THIRD  CLASS. 

TALES 43 

FOURTH  CLASS. 
PROVERBS       ........       70 

FIFTH  CLASS. 

SCHOLASTIC 81 

SIXTH  CLASS. 

SONGS .        .87 

SEVENTH  CLASS. 
RIDDLES        ........     133 

EIGHTH  CLASS 

CHARMS 154 

NINTH  CLASS. 
GAFFERS  AND  GAMMERS  „        ,        ,        .     158 

xii 


CONTENTS. 


TENTH  CLASS. 

p*z* 
GAMES   .         .         .         .        .        .         .        .         .178 

ELEVENTH  CLASS. 

PARADOXES 232 

TWELFTH  CLASS. 

LULLABIES 248 

THIRTEENTH  CLASS. 

JINGLES          .  258 

FOURTEENTH  CLASS. 

NATURAL  HISTORY 280 

FIFTEENTH  CLASS. 

RELICS 328 

SIXTEENTH  CLASS. 
LOCAL  ........     348 

SEVENTEENTH  CLASS. 
LOVE  AND  MATRIMONY 353 

EIGHTEENTH  CLASS. 
ACCUMULATIVE  STORIES 379 

NINETEENTH  CLASS. 
FIRESIDE  STORIES 399 


FIRST  CLASS, 

fiistorical. 


m 


The  traditional  Nursery  Rhymes  of  England  commence  with  a  legend- 
ary  satire  on  King  Cole,  who  reigned  in  Britain  in  the  third  century  after 
Christ.  According  to  Robert  of  Gloucester,  he  was  the  father  of  St. 
Helena.  King  Cole  was  a  brave  and  popular  man  in  his  day. 


OLD  King  Cole 

Was  a  merry  old  soul, 

And  a  merry  old  soul 

was  he; 


He  called  for  his  pipe, 
And  he  called  for  his  bowl, 
And  he  called  for  his 

fiddlers  three. 


Every  fiddler  he  had  a  fine  fiddle, 

And  a  very  fine  fiddle  had  he; 

Twee  tweedle  dee,  tweedle  dee,  went  the  fiddlers. 

Oh,  there's  none  so  rare 

As  can  compare 

With  King  Cole  and  his  fiddlers  three. 

[15] 


16 NUESERY  RHYMES. 

WHEN  Arthur  first  in  Court  began 
To  wear  long  hanging  sleeves, 

He  entertained  three  servingmen 
And  all  of  them  were  thieves. 

The  first  he  was  an  Irishman, 

The  second  was  a  Scot, 
The  third  he  was  a  Welshman, 

And  all  were  knaves,  I  wot. 

The  Irishman  loved  usquebaugh, 
The  Scot  loved  ale  called  bluecap, 

The  Welshman  he  loved  toasted  cheese, 
And  made  his  mouth  like  a  mouse-trap. 

Usquebaugh  burnt  the  Irishman ; 

The  Scot  was  drowned  in  ale ; 
The  Welshman  had  like  to  be  choked  by  a  mouse, 

But  he  pulled  it  out  by  the  tail. 


Written  on  occasion  of  the  marriage  of  Mary,  the  daughter  of  James, 
Duke  of  York,  afterwards  James  II.,  with  the  young  Prince  of  Orange. 

WHAT  is  the  rhyme  for  poringer  ? 
The  King  he  had  a  daughter  fair, 
And  gave  the  Prince  of  Orange  her. 


LITTLE  General  Monk 

Sat  upon  a  trunk, 
Eating  a  crust  of  bread; 

There  fell  a  hot  coal 

And  burnt  in  his  clothes  a  hole, 
Now  General  Monk  is  dead. 

Keep  always  from  the  fire: 

If  it  catch  your  attire, 
You  too,  like  Monk,  will  be  dead 


HISTORICAL.  17 


ROBIN      HOOD,    Robin 

Hood, 

Is  in  the  mickle  wood ! 
Little  John,  Little  John, 
He  to  the  town  is  gone. 
Robin      Hood,     Robin 

Hood, 

Is  telling  his  beads, 
All  in  the  greenwood, 
Among     the     green 

weeds. 

Little  John,  Little  John, 

If  he  conies  no  more, 

Robin       Hood,     Robin 

Hood, 
We  shall  fret  full  sore! 


The  following  perhaps  refers 
to  Joanna  of  Castile,  who  visit- 
ed the  Court  of  Henry  VII.,  in 
the  year  1506. 

I  HAD  a  little  nut-tree, 
nothing  would  it  bear 

But  a  silver  nutmeg  and 
a  golden  pear; 

The  King  of  Spam's 
daughter  came  to  visit 
me, 

And  all  was  because  of 
my  little  nut-tree. 

I  skipped  over  water,  I 
danced  over  sea, 

And  all  the  birds  in  the 
air  couldn't  catch  me. 


18 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


WHEN  good  King  Arthur  ruled  this  land, 

He  was  a  goodly  King; 
He  stole  three  pecks  of  barley-meal, 

To  make  a  bag-pudding. 
A  bag  pudding  the  King 

did  make, 
And   stuffed    it    well 

with  plums, 
And  in  it  put  great  .umps 

of  fat, 

As  big    as    my    two 
thumbs. 


HISTORICAL. 


19 


The  King  and 
Queen  did 
eat  thereof, 
And  noble- 
men beside; 

And  what  they 
could  not  eat 
that  night, 
The  Queen 
next  morn- 
ing  fried. 


THE  King  of  France,  and  four  thousand  men 
They  drew  their  swords — and  put  them  up  again. 


In  a  tract  called  "  Pigges  Corantoe,  or  Newes  from  the  North,"  4to. 
Lond.  1642,  p.  3,  this  is  called  "  Old  Tarlton's  Song."  It  is  perhaps  a 
parody  on  the  popular  epigram  of  "Jack  and  Jill."  I  do  not  know  the 
period  of  the  battle  to  which  it  appears  to  allude,  but  Tarlton  died  in 
the  year  1588. 

THE  King  of  France  went  up  the  hill, 

With  twenty  thousand  men; 
The  King  of  France  came  down  the  hill, 

And  ne'er  went  up  again. 


20 NURSERY  RHYMES. 

THE  King  of  France,  with  twenty  thousand  men, 
Went  up  the  hill,  and  then  came  down  again. 
The  King  of  Spain,  with  twenty  thousand  more, 
Climbed  the  same  hill  the  French  had  climbed  before. 


Another  version.  The  nurse  sings  the  first  line,  and  repeats  it,  time 
after  time,  until  the  expectant  little  one  asks,  What  next?  Then  comes 
the  climax. 

THE   King  of  France,  the  King  of  France,  with  forty 

thousand  men, 
Oh,  they  all  went  up  the  hill,  and  so — came  back  again. 


At  the  siege  of  Belleisle         All  the  while,  all  the  while, 
I  was  there  all  the  while,       At  the  siege  of  Belleisle. 


THE  rose  is  red,  the  grass  is  green, 

Serve  Queen  Bess,  our  noble  Queen; 
Kitty  the  spinner 
Will  sit  down  to  dinner, 

And  eat  the  leg  of  a  frog; 
All  good  people 
Look  over  the  steeple, 

And  see  the  cat  play  with  the  dog. 


GOOD  Queen  Bess  was  a  glorious  dame, 

When  bonny  King  Jemmy  from  Scotland  came; 

We'll  pepper  their  bodies, 

Their  peaceable  noddies, 
And  give  them  a  crack  of  the  crown! 

THE  twenty-ninth  of  May  Ring  a  ting  ting, 

Is  oak-apple  day.  God  save  the  King. 


HISTORICAL.  21 


The  word  tory  originated  in  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  and  represented  a 
class  of  "bog-trotters,"  who  were  a  compound  of  the  knave  and  the 
highwayman. 


Ho !  Master  Teague,  what  is  your  story  ? 
I  went  to  the  wood  to  kill  a  tory  ; 
I  went  to  the  wood  and  killed  another; 
Was  it  the  same,  or  was  it  his  brother  ? 

I  hunted  him  in,  and  I  hunted  him  out, 
Three  times  through  the  bog,  about  and  about; 
When  out  of  a  bush  I  saw  his  head, 
So  I  fired  my  gun  and  shot  him  dead, 

DOCTOR  SACHEVEREL  But  Jacky  Dawbin 

Did  very  well,  Grave  him  a  warning. 


The  following  nursery  song  alludes  to  William  III.  of  England  and 
George,  Prince  of  Denmark. 

WILLIAM  and  Mary,  George  and  Anne, 
Four  such  children  had  never  a  man: 
They  put  their  father  to  flight  and  shame, 
And  called  their  brother  a  shocking  bad  name. 


22 NURSERY  RHYMES. 

A  song  on  King  William  III. 

As  I  walked  by  myself,  I  answered  myself, 

And  talked  to  myself,  And  said  to  myself, 

Myself  said  unto  me,  In  the  self -same  repartee, 

Look  to  thyself,  Look  to  thyself, 

Take  care  of  thyself,  Or  not  look  to  thyself, 

For  nobody  cares  The  self-same  thing 

for  thee.  will  be. 


From  a  MS.  in  the  old  Royal  Library,  in  the  British  Museum.     It  is 
written  in  a  hand  of  the  time  of  Henry  VIII.,  in  an  older  manuscript. 

We  make  no  spare 

Of  John  Hunkes'  mare; 

And  now  I  think  she  will  die; 
He  thought  it  good 
To  put  her  in  the  wood, 

To  seek  where  she  might  lie  dry; 
If  the  mare  should  chance  to  fail, 
Then  the  crowns  would  for  her  sale. 

Taken  from  MS.  Douce,  357,  fol.  124.      See  Echard's   "History  of 
England."     Book  III.  chap.  I. 

SEE  saw,  sack-a-day; 
Monmouth  is  a  pretie  boy, 

Richmond  is  another, 
Grafton  is  my  only  joy, 
And  why  should  I  these  three  destroy, 

To  please  a  pious  brother  ? 


The  following  is  partly   quoted   in  an  old  song  in  a   MS.  at  Oxford, 
Ashmole,  No.  36,  fol.  113. 

As  I  was  going  by  Charing  Cross, 
I  saw  a  black  man  upon  a  black  horse; 
They  told  me  it  was  King  Charles  the  First; 
Oh,  dear !  my  heart  was  ready  to  burst ! 


HISTORICAL. 


Please  to  remember  I  know  no  reason 

The  Fifth  of  November,         Why  gunpowder  treason 
Gunpowder  treason  and  plot ;    Should  ever  be  forgot. 


HECTOR  PROTECTOR  was  dressed  all  in  green; 
Hector  Protector  was  sent  to  the  Queen. 
The  Queen  did  not  like  him,  nor  more  did  the  King; 
So  Hector  Protector  was  sent  back  again. 


24 


NURSER  Y  RHYMES. 


From  MS.  Sloane,  1489,  fol.  19,  written  in  the  time  of  Charles  I. 
It  appears  from  MS.  Harl.  390,  fol.  85,  that  these  verses  were  written 
in  1626,  against  the  Duke  of  Buckingham. 


THERE  was  a  monkey  climbed 

up  a  tree, 
When   he    fell    down,    then 

down  fell  he. 

There  was  a  crow  sat  on  a 

stone, 
When    he    was    gone,    then 

there  was  none. 

There  was  an  old  wife  did  eat 

an  apple, 
When  she  had  eat  two,  she 

had  eat  a  couple. 

There  was  a  horse  going  to 

the  mill, 
When  he  went  on,  he  stood 

not  still. 

There  was  a  butcher  cut  his 

thumb, 
When     it    did    bleed,    then 

blood  did  come. 

There  was  a  lackey  ran  a  race, 
When  he  ran  fast,  he  ran  apace. 


HISTORICAL. 


There  was  a  cobbler  clouthing 

shoon, 
When  they  were  mended,  they 

were  done. 

There  was  a  chandler  making 

candle, 
When    he  them   strip,    he   did 

them  handle. 

There  was  a  navy  went  into 

Spain, 
When    it    returned,    it     came 

again. 

There    was    an    old  Crow   set   •=-. 

upon  a  Clod, 
There  is  an  end  of  my  song — 

that's  odd. 


JIM  and  George  were  two  great 

lords, 

They  fought  all  in  a  churn; 
And  when  that  Jim  got  George 

by  the  nose, 
Then  George  began  to  gern. 


EIGHTY-EIGHT  wor  Kirby  feight, 
When  niver  a  man  was  slain; 

They  yat  ther  meat,  an  drank  ther  drink, 
And  sae  com  merrily  heaam  agayn. 


26  NUESER  Y  RHYMES. 


POOR  old  Robinson  Crusoe ! 
Poor  old  Robinson  Crusoe ! 
They  made  him  a  coat 
Of  an  old  nanny  goat 

I  wonder  how  they  could  do  so! 
With  a  ring  a  ting  tang, 
And  a  ring  a  ting  tang, 

Poor  old  Robinson  Crusoe ! 


HIGH  diddle  ding, 

Did  you  hear  the  bells  ring  ? 

The  Parliament  soldiers  are  gone  to  the  King; 

Some  they  did  laugh,  some  they  did  cry, 

To  see  the  Parliament  soldiers  pass  by. 


HIGH  ding  a  ding,  and  ho  ding  a  ding, 
The  Parliament  soldiers  are  gone  to  the  King; 
Some  with  new  beavers,  some  with  new  bands, 
The  Parliament  soldiers  are  all  to  be  hanged. 


OVER  the  water  and  over  the  lee, 
And  over  the  water  to  Charley, 
Charley  loves  good  ale  and  wine, 
And  Charley  loves  good  brandy, 
And  Charley  loves  a  pretty  girl, 
As  sweet  as  sugar- candy. 

Over  the  water,  and  over  the  sea, 

And  over  the  water  to  Charley, 

I'll  have  none  of  your  nasty  beef, 

Nor  I'll  have  none  of  your  barley; 

But  I'll  have  some  of  your  very  best  flour, 

To  make  a  white  cake  for  my  Charley. 


SECOND   CLASS. 

Literal, 


F  for  fig, 
J  for  jig, 
And  N  for 

knuckle-bones, 
I  for  John 

the  waterman, 
And  S  for  sack 
of  stones. 


ONE,  two,  three, 

I  love  coffee, 

And  Billy  loves  tea. 

How  good  you  be, 

One,  two,  three, 

I  love  coffee, 

And  Billy  loves  tea. 


i,  2,  3,  4,  5! 
I  caught  a  hare  alive ; 

6,  7,  8,  9,  10 ! 
I  let  her  go  again. 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


ONE,  two, 

Buckle  my  shoe ; 


Three,  four, 
Shut  the  door; 


Five,  six, 
Pick  up  sticks; 


LITERAL. 


Seven, 

eight, 
Lay  them 
straight ; 


Eleven, 

twelve, 
Who  will 
delve? 


NUR8EE7  RHYMES. 


Thirteen, 

fourteen, 
Maids 

a-courting; 
Fifteen, 

sixteen, 
Maids 

a-kissing; 
Seventeen, 

eighteen, 
Maids 

a- waiting; 


Nineteen, 

twenty, 
My  stomach's 
empty. 


LITERAL. 


31 


Pray,  playmates  agree. 

E,  F,  and  G, 

Well,  so  it  shall  be. 

J,  K,  and  L, 

In  peace  we  will  dwell. 

M,  N,  and  O, 

To  play  let  us  go. 


P,  Q,  R,  and  S, 

Love  may  we  possess. 

W,  X,  and  Y, 

Will  not  quarrel  or  die. 

Z,  and  amperse — and, 

Go  to  school  at  command. 


32 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


GREAT  A,  little  a, 

Bouncing  B ! 
The  cat's  in  the  cupboard, 

And  she  can't  see. 


Ax  reck'ning  let's  play, 

And,  prithee,  let's  lay 
A  wager,  and  let  it  be  this  : 

Who  first  to  the  sum 

Of  twenty  doth  come, 
Shall  have  for  his  winning  a  kiss. 

TWENTY,  nineteen,  eighteen, 
Seventeen,  sixteen,  fifteen, 
Fourteen,  thirteen,  twelve, 
Eleven,  ten,  nine, 
Eight,  seven,  six, 
Five,  four,  three, 
Two,  one ; 
The  tenor  o'  the  tune  plays  merrilie. 


LITERAL. 


33 


PAT-A-CAKE,  pat-a-cake,  baker's  man! 
So  I  will,  master,  as  fast  as  I  can : 
Pat  it,  and  prick  it,  and  mark  it  with  T, 
Put  in  the  oven  for  Tommy  and  me. 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


A.  B.  C.  tumble  down  D, 

The  cat's  in  the  cupboard  and 
can't  see  me. 


LITERA 


35 


HICKERY,  dickery,  6  and  7, 
Alabone,  Crackabone  10  and  1 1, 
Spin  span  muskidan; 
Twiddle  'um  twaddle  'um,  2 1. 


36 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


A  was  an  angler, 
Went  out  in  a  fog; 

Who  fish'd  all  the  day, 
And  caught  only  a  frog. 

B  was  cook  Betty, 

A-baking  a  pie 
With  ten  or  twelve  apples 

All  piled  up  on  high. 

C  was  a  custard 

In  a  glass  dish, 
With  as  much  cinnamon 

As  you  could  wish. 


D  was  fat  Dick, 

Who  did  nothing  but  eat; 
He  would  leave  book  and 
play 

For  a  nice  bit  of  meat. 

E  was  an  egg, 

In  a  basket  with  more, 
Which  Peggy  will  sell 

For  a  shilling  a  score. 

F  was  a  fox, 

So  cunning  and  sly: 
Who  looks  at  the  hen- 
roost — 

I  need  not  say  why. 


LITEEAL. 


37 


G  was  a  greyhound, 
As  fleet  as  the  wind ; 

In  the  race  or  the  course 
Left  all  others  behind. 

H  was  a  heron, 

Who  lived  near  a  pond; 
Of  gobbling  the  fishes 

He  was  wondrously  fond. 

I  was  the  ice 

On  which  Billy  would 

skate ; 
So  up  went  his  heels, 

And  down  went  his  pate. 

J  was  Joe  Jenkins, 

Who  played  on  the  fiddle ; 
He  began  twenty  tunes, 

But  left  off  in  the  middle. 

K  was  a  kitten, 

Who  jumped  at  a  cork, 
And  learned  to  eat  mice 

Without  plate,  knife,  or 

fork. 
L  was  a  lark, 

Who  sings  us  a  song, 
And  wakes  us  betimes 

Lest  we  sleep  too  long. 

M  was  Miss  Molly, 

Who  turned  in  her  toes, 
And  hung  down  her  head 

Till  her  knees  touched 
her  nose. 


N  was  a  nosegay, 
Sprinkled  with  dew, 

Pulled  in  the  morning 
And  presented  to  you. 

O  was  an  owl, 
Who  looked  wondrously 

wise; 

But  he's  watching  a  mouse 
With  his  large  round  eyes. 

P  was  a  parrot, 

With  feathers  like  gold, 
Who  talks  just  as  much, 

And  no  more  than  he's 

told. 
Q  is  the  Queen 

Who  governs  the  land, 
And  sits  on  a  throne 

Very  lofty  and  grand. 

R  is  a  raven 

Perched  on  an  oak, 
Who  with  a  gruff  voice 

Cries  Croak,  croak,  croak ! 

S  was  a  stork 

With  a  very  long  bill, 
Who  swallows  down  fishes 

And  frogs  to  his  fill. 

T  is  a  trumpeter 

Blowing  his  horn, 
Who  tells  us  the  news 

As  we  rise  in  the 

morn. 


38 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


Y  is  the  year 

That  is  passing  away, 
And  still  growing  shorter 

Every  day. 

Z  is  a  zebra, 

Whom  you've  heard  of 

before; 
So  here  ends  my  rhyme 

Till  I  find  you  some  more. 


U  is  a  unicorn, 
Who,  as  it  is  said, 

Wears  an  ivory  bodkin 
On  his  forehead. 

V  is  a  vulture 

Who  eats  a  great  deal, 
Devouring  a  dog 

Or  a  cat  as  a  meal. 

"W  was  a  watchman 
Who  guarded  the 

street, 
Lest    robbers   or 

thieves 

The  good  people 
should  meet. 

X  was  King  Xerxes, 
Who,  if  you  don't 
know, 

Reigned  over  Persia 
A  great  while  ago. 


ONE'S  none; 
Two's  some; 
Three's  a  many; 
Four's  a  penny; 
Five  is  a  little  hundred. 

WHO  is  that  I  heard  call  ?     Little  Sam  in  the  hall. 
What  does  he  do  there  ?     He  asked  for  some  fruit. 
For  some  fruit  did  he  ask  ?     Can  he  yet  read  his  book  I 
He  can't  read  it  yet;  then  he  shan't  have  a  bit. 
But  pray  give  him  a  bite  when  he  says  his  task  right; 
And  till  that  is  well  done,  take  you  care  he  has  none. 


LITERAL. 


Tom  Thumb's  Alphabet. 

A  was  an  Archer,  and  shot  at  a  frog, 

B  was  a  Butcher,  and  had  a  great  dog, 

C  was  a  Captain,  all  covered  with  lace, 

D  was  a  Drunkard,  and  had  a  red  face. 

E  was  an  Esquire,  with  pride  on  his  brow, 

F  was  a  Farmer,  and  followed  the  plough, 

G  was  a  Gamester,  who  had  but  ill  luck, 

H  was  a  Hunter,  and  hunted  a  buck. 

I  was  an  Innkeeper,  who  loved  to  bouse, 

J  was  a  Joiner,  and  built  up  a  house. 

K  was  King  William,  once  governed  this  land, 

L  was  a  Lady,  who  had  a  white  hand. 

M  was  a  Miser,  and  hoarded  up  gold, 

N  was  a  Nobleman,  gallant  and  bold, 

O  was  an  Oyster  Wench,  and  went  about  town, 

P  was  a  Parson,  and  wore  a  black  gown. 

Q  was  a  Queen,  who  was  fond  of  good  flip, 

R  was  a  Robber,  and  wanted  a  whip, 

S  was  a  Sailor,  and  spent  all  he  got, 

T  was  a  Tinker,  and  mended  a  pot. 

U  was  an  Usurer,  a  miserable  elf, 

V  was  a  Vintner,  who  drank  all  himself. 

\7  was  a  Watchman,  and  guarded  the  door, 

X  was  expensive,  and  so  became  poor. 

Y  was  a  Youth,  that  did  not  love  school, 

Z  was  a  Zany,  a  poor  harmless  fool. 

APPLE-PIE,  pudding,  and  pancake, 
All  begin  with  A. 


Miss  One,  Two,  and  Three  could  never  agree, 
While  they  gossiped  round  a  tea-caddy. 


NUXSEMY  RHYMES. 


COME  hither, little  puppy  dog; 

I'll  give  you  a  new  collar, 

If  you  will  learn  to  read  your 

book 

And  be  a  clever  scholar. 
No,  no !  replied  the  puppy  dog, 

I've  other  fish  to  fry, 
For  I  must  learn  to  guard 

your  house, 
And    bark     when    thieves 

come  nigh. 

With    a    tingle,    tangle,    tit- 
mouse ! 

Robin  knows  great  A, 
And  B,  and  C,  and  D,  and  E, 
F,  G,  H,  I,  J,  K. 


COME  hither,  pretty  cockatoo ; 

Come  and  learn  your  letters, 
And  you   shall  have  a  knife 
and  fork 

To    eat    with,    like   your 

betters. 
No,  no !  the  cockatoo  replied, 

My  beak  will  do  as  well; 
I'd  rather  eat  my  victuals  thus 

Than  go  and  learn  to  spell. 
With    a    tingle,    tangle,    tit- 
mouse ! 

Robin  knows  great  A, 
And  B,  and  C,  and  D,  and  E, 

F,  G,  H,  I,  J,  K. 


LITERAL. 


41 


Come  hither,  little  pussy  cat; 
If  you'll    your    grammar 

study 
give  you  silver  clogs  to 

wear, 
Whene'er       the      gutter's 

muddy 
b !  whilst  I  grammar  learn, 

says  Puss, 

Your  house  will  in  a  trice 
overrun  from  top  to  bottom 
With  flocks  of  rats  and  mice, 
ith  a  tingle,  tangle,  tit- 
mouse! - 

Robin  knows  great  A, 
And  B,  and  C,  and  D,  and  E, 
F,  G,  H,  I,  J,  K. 


Come  hither,  then,  good  little 

boy, 

And  learn  your  alphabet, 
And  you  a  pair  of  boots  and 

spurs, 

Like  your  papa's,  shall  get, 
Oh,  yes!  I'll  learn  my  alpha- 
bet; 

And  when  I  well  can  read, 
Perhaps  papa  will  give,  me  too, 
A  pretty  long-tail'd  steed. 
With  a    tingle,    tangle,    tit- 
mouse ! 

Robin  knows  great  A, 
And  B,  and  C,  and  D,  and  E, 
F,  G,  H,  I,  J,  K. 


42  NUBSEEY  RHYMES. 


A  for  the  ape,  that  we  saw  at  the  fair ; 

B  for  a  blockhead,  who  ne'er  shall  go  there; 

C  for  a  cauliflower,  white  as  a  curd; 

D  for  a  duck,  a  very  good  bird; 

E  for  an  egg,  good  in  pudding  or  pies; 

F  for  a  farmer,  rich,  honest,  and  wise; 

G  for  a  gentleman,  void  of  all  care; 

H  for  the  hound,  that  ran  down  the  hare; 

I  for  an  Indian,  soothy  and  dark; 

K  for  the  keeper,  that  looked  to  the  park; 

L  for  a  lark,  that  soared  in  the  air; 

M  for  a  mole,  ne'er  could  get  there; 

N  for  Sir  Nobody,  ever  in  fault; 

O  for  an  otter,  that  ne'er  could  be  caught; 

P  for  a  pudding,  stuck  full  of  plums; 

Q  was  for  quartering  it,  see  here  he  comes; 

R  for  a  rook,  that  croaked  in  the  trees; 

S  for  a  sailor,  that  ploughed  the  deep  seas; 

T  for  a  top,  that  doth  prettily  spin; 

V  for  a  virgin,  of  delicate  mien; 

W  for  wealth,  in  gold,  silver,  and  pence; 

X  for  old  Xenophone,  noted  for  sense; 

Y  for  a  yew,  which  for  ever  is  green; 

Z  for  the  zebra,  that  belongs  to  the  Queen. 


THIRD  CLASS. 

tales. 


SOLOMON  GRUNDY, 
Born  on  a  Monday, 
Christened  on  Tuesday, 
Married  on  Wednesday, 
Took  ill  on  Thursday, 
Worse  on  Friday, 
Died  on  Saturday, 
Buried  on  Sunday; 
This  is  the  end 
Of  Solomon  Grundy. 


HAVE  you  ever  heard  of  Billy  Pringle's  pig? 
It  was  very  little  and  not  very  big; 
When  it  was  alive  it  lived  in  clover; 
But  now  it's  dead,  and  that's  all  over. 
Billy  Pringle  he  lay  down  and  died, 
Betsy  Pringle  she  sat  down  and  cried; 
So  there's  an  end  of  all  the  three, 

Billy  Pringle  he,  Betsy  Pringle  she,  and  poor  little  piggy 
wigee. 

[43] 


44 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


MY  dear,  do  you  know, 

How,  a  long  time  ago, 
Two  poor  little  children, 

Whose  names  I  don't  know, 
Were  stolen  away  on  a  fine  summer's  day, 
And  left  in  a  wood,  as  I've  heard  people  say. 

And  when  it  was  night, 

So  sad  was  their  plight, 
The  sun  it  went  down, 

And  the  moon  gave  no  light ! 

They  sobbed  and  they  sighed,  and  they  bitterly  cried, 
And  the  poor  little  things,  they  lay  down  and  died. 

And  when  they  were  dead, 
The  Robins  so  red 

Brought  strawberry- leaves 
And  over  them  spread; 


TALES. 


45 


And  all  the  day  long 

They  sung  them  this  song  j 

"Poor  babes  in  the  wood  !     Poor  l/bes  in  the  wood! 
And  don't  you  remember  the  bab(*s  in  the  wood  ?  " 


THERE  was  a  fat  man  of  Bombay, 
Who  was  smoking  one  sunshiny  day, 

When  a  bird,  called  a  snipe, 

Flew  away  with  his  pipe, 
Which  vexed  the  fat  man  of  Bombay. 


LITTLE  Tom  Tittlemouse  lived  in  a  bell-house; 
The  bell-house  broke,  and  Tom  Tittlemouse  woke. 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


PUNCH  and  Judy 
Fought  for  a  pie; 


Punch  gave  Judy 
A  sad  blow  on  the  eye. 


ROBIN  the  Bobbin,  the  big-headed  Ben, 

He  ate  more  meat  than  fourscore  men; 

He  ate  a  cow,  he  ate  a  calf, 

He  ate  a  butcher  and  a  half; 

He  ate  a  church,  he  ate  a  steeple, 

He  ate  the  priest  and  all  the  people  ! 

A  cow  and  a  calf, 

An  ox  and  a  half, 

A  church  and  a  steeple, 

And  all  the  good  people, 
And  yet  he  complained  that  his  stomach  wasn't  full. 


THERE  was  a  jolly  miller 
Lived  on  the  River  Dee ; 

He  looked  upon  his  pillow, 
And  there  he  saw  a  flea. 

"Oh,  Mr.  Flea, 


You  have  been  biting  me, 
And  you  must  die." 

So  he  cracked  his  bones 

Upon  the  stones, 
And  there  he  let  him  lie. 


TALES. 


47 


SIMPLE  SIMON  met  a  pieman, 

Going  to  the  fair; 
Says  Simple  Simon  to  the  pieman, 

"Let  me  taste  your  ware." 

Says  the  pieman  to  Simple  Simon, 
"Show  me  first  your  penny," 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


Says  Simple  Simon  to  the  pieman, 
"Indeed  I  have  not  any." 

Simple  Simon  went  a-fishing 

For  to  catch  a  whale; 
All  the  water  he  had  got 

Was  in  his  mother's  pail. 


LITTLE  Jack  Jelf 
Was  put  on  the  shelf 
Because  he  would  not  spell 

"pie;" 
When  his  aunt,  Mrs. 

Grace, 

Saw  his  sorrowful  face, 
She  could  not  help  saying, 
"Oh,  fie!" 


And  since  Master  Jelf 

Was  put  on  the  shelf 

Because  he  would  not  spell 

"pie," 
Let  him  stand  there  so 

grim, 

And  no  more  about  him, 
For  I  wish  him  a  very  good 
bye! 


LITTLE  Tommy  Tittlemouse 
Lived  in  a  little  house; 


He  caught  fishes 

In  other  men's  ditches. 


TALES. 


49 


THERE  was  a  crooked  man,  and  he  went  a  crooked  mile, 
He  found  a  crooked  sixpence  against  a  crooked  stile: 
He  bought  a  crooked  cat,  which  caught  a  crooked 

mouse, 
And  they  all  lived  together  in  a  little  crooked  house. 


50 


NDESERY  EHTMES. 


THERE  was  a  man,  and  he  had  nought, 
And  robbers  came  to  rob  him ; 

He  crept  up  to  the  chimney-pot, 
And  then  they  thought  they  had  him. 

But  he  got  down  on  t'other  side, 
And  then  they  could  not  find  him. 

He  ran  fourteen  miles  in  fifteen  days, 
And  never  looked  behind  him. 


TALES. 


51 


62  NURSERY  RHYMES. 


THERE  was  a  little  man,  And  he  took  it  home 

And  he  had  a  little  gun,  To  his  old  wife  Joan, 

And  he  went  to  the  brook,  And  told  her  to  make  up  a 
And  he  shot  a  little  rook;  fire, 


TALES. 


53 


While  he  went  back 
To  fetch,  the  little  drake; 
But  when  he  got  there, 


The  drake  was  fled  for  fear; 

And,  like  an  old  novice,  he 

turned  back  again. 


Two  little  dogs  Said  one  little  dog 

Sat  by  the  fire,  To  the  other  little  dog, 

Over  a  fender  of  coal-dust ;  If  you  don't  talk,  why,  I  must 


BRYAN  O'Lin  and  his  wife  and  wife's  mother, 
They  all  went  over  a  bridge  together : 
The  bridge  was  broken,  and  they  all  fell  in, 
"The  deuce  go  with  all!"  quoth  Bryan  O'Lin. 


LITTLE  Tom  Twig  bought  a  fine  bow  and  arrow, 
And  what  did  he  shoot?  why,  a  poor  little  sparrow. 
Oh,  fie,  little  Tom,  with  your  fine  bow  and  arrow, 
How  cruel  to  shoot  at  a  poor  little  sparrow ! 


6-i 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


OLD  Mother  Goose,  when 
She  wanted  to  wander, 

Would  ride  through  the  air 
On  a  very  fine  gander. 


Mother  Goose  had  a  house, 
'Twas  built  in  a  wood, 

Where  an  owl  at  the  door 
For  sentinel  stood. 


She  sent  him  to  market, 
A  live  goose  he  bought: 

"  Here !  mother, "  says  he, 
"It  will  not  go  for 
nought. " 

Jack's  goose  and  her  gander 

Grew  very  fond; 
They'd  both  eat  together, 

Or  swim  in  one  pond. 

Jack  found  one  morning, 
As  I  have  been  told, 

His  goose  had  laid  him 
An  egg  of  pure  gold. 

Jack  rode  to  his  mother, 
The  news  for  to  tell. 

She  called  him  a  good  boy, 
And  said  it  was  well. 


Jack  sold  his  gold  eggf 
To  a  rogue  of  a  Jew, 

Who  cheated  him  out  of 
The  half  of  his  due. 

Then  Jack  went  a-courting 

A  lady  so  gay, 
As  fair  as  the  lily, 

And  sweet  as  the  May. 

The  Jew  and  the  Squire 
Came  behind  his  back, 

And  began  to  belabor 
The  sides  of  poor  Jack. 

The  old  Mother  Goose, 
That  instant  came  in, 

And  turned  her  son  Jack 
Into  famed  Harlequin. 


TALES. 


55 


She  then  with  her  wand 
Touched  the  lady  so  fine, 

And  turned  her  at  once 
Into  sweet  Columbine. 

The  gold  egg  into  the  sea 
Was  thrown  then, — 

When  Jack  jumped  in, 
And  got  the  egg  back 
again. 


The  Jew  got  the  goose, 
Which    he    vowed    he 
would  kill, 

Resolving  at  once 
His  pockets  to  fill. 

Jack's  mother  came  in, 
And   caught  the  goos« 
soon, 

And  mounting  its  back, 
Flew  up  to  the  moon. 


WHEN  I  was  a  little  girl,  about  seven  years  old, 
I  hadn't  got  a  petticoat  to  cover  me  from  the  cold; 
So  I  went  into  Darlington,  that  pretty  little  town, 
And  there  I  bought  a  petticoat,  a  cloak,  and  a  gownt 
I  went  into  the  woods  and  built  me  a  kirk, 
And  all  the  birds  of  the  air,  they  helped  me  to  work. 
The  hawk  with  his  long  claws  pulled  down  the  stone, 
The  dove,  with  her  rough  bill,  brought  me  them  home: 
The  parrot  was  the  clergyman,  the  peacock  was  the  clerk, 
The  bullfinch  played  the  organ,  and  we  made  merry  work 


ROBIN  and  Richard  were  two  pretty  men ; 
They  lay  in  bed  till  the  clock  struck  ten ; 
Then  up  starts  Robin  and  looks  at  the 

sky; 
Oh!  brother   Richard,   the  sun's  very 

high: 

The  bull's  in  the  barn  threshing  the 

corn; 
The  cock's  on  the  dunghill  blowing  his 

horn, 

The  cat's  at  the  fire  frying  of  fish, 
The  dog's  in  the  pantry  breaking  his 

dish. 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


T*HREE  wise  men  of  Gotham  went  to  sea  in  a  bowl, 
And  if  the  bowl  had  been  stronger,  my  song  would  have 
been  longer. 


TALES. 


57 


WHEN  little 
Fred  went 

to  bed 
He  always 
said  his 

prayers. 
He  kissed 
mamma  and 

then  papa, 
And  straight- 
way went 
upstairs. 


LITTLE  Willie  Winkle  runs  through  the  town, 
Upstairs  and  downstairs,  in  his  nightgown, 
Rapping  at  the  window,  crying  through  the  lock, 
uAre  the  children  in   their  beds?  for  now  it's  eight 
o'clock," 


58 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


PEMMY  was  a  pretty  girl, 
But  Fanny  was  a  better; 

Pemmy  looked  like  any  churl, 
When  little  Fanny  let  her. 

Pemmy  had  a  pretty  nose, 
But  Fanny  had  a  better; 

Pemmy  oft  would  come  to  blows, 
But  Fanny  would  not  let  her. 

Pemmy  had  a  pretty  doll, 
But  Fanny  had  a  better; 

Pemmy  chattered  like  a  poll, 
When  little  Fanny  let  her. 

Pemmy  had  a  pretty  song, 
But  Fanny  had  a  better, 

Pemmy  would  sing  all  day  long, 
But  Fanny  would  not  let  her. 

Pemmy  loved  a  pretty  lad, 
And  Fanny  loved  a  better; 

And  Pemmy  wanted  for  to  wed, 
But  Fanny  would  not  let  her. 


OUR  saucy  boy  Dick 
Had  a  nice  little  stick 
Cut  from    a    hawthorn 

tree, 

And  with  this  pretty  stick 
He  thought  he  could  beat 
A  boy  much  bigger  than 
he. 


But  the  boy  turned  round, 
And  hit  him  a  rebound. 
Which  did  so  frighten 

poor  Dick, 

That,  without  more  delay, 
He  ran  quite  away, 
And  over   a  hedge  he 
jumped  quick. 


TALES. 


69 


THE  lion  and  the  unicorn 
Were  fighting  for  the 

crown : 

The  lion  beat  the  uni- 
corn 
All  round  about  the 

town. 
Some  gave  them  white 

bread, 
And  some  gave  them 

brown ; 
Some  gave  them  plum 

cake, 
And  sent  them  out  of 

town. 

Moss  was  a  little  man,  and  a  little  mare  did  buy, 

For  kicking  and  for  sprawling  none  her  could  come  nigh ; 

She  could  trot,  she  could  amble,  and  could  canter  here 

and  there; 
But  one  night  she  strayed  away — so  Moss  lost  his  mare. 

Moss  got  up  next  morning  to  catch  her  fast  asleep, 
And  round  about  the  frosty  fields  so  nimbly  he  did  creep. 
Dead  in  a  ditch  he  found  her,  and  glad  to  find  her  there, 
So  I'll  tell  you,  by-and-bye,  how  Moss  caught  his  mare. 

" Rise!  stupid,  rise!"  he  thus  to  her  did  say: 

"Arise,  you  beast,   you  drowsy  beast,  get  up  without 

delay, 
For  I  must  ride  you  to  the  town,  so  don't  lie  sleeping 

there." 
He  put  the  halter  round  her  neck — so  Moss  caught  his 

mare. 

LITTLE  King  Boggen  he  built  a  fine  hall, 
Pie-crust  and  pastry-crust,  that  was  the  wall; 
The  windows  were  made  of  black- puddings  and  white, 
And  slated  with  pancakes; — you  ne'er  saw  the  like. 


NURSES,  Y  RHYMES. 


Taffy  was  a  Welshman,  Taffy  was  a  thief; 
Taffy  came  to  my  house  and  stole  a  piece  of  beef; 
I  went  to  Taffy's  house,  Taffy  was  not  at  home ; 
Taf£j£,came  to  my  house  and  stole  a  marrow-bone. 

I  went  to  Taffy's  house,  Taffy  was  not  in; 
Taffy  came  to  my  house  and  stole  a  silver  pin; 
I  went  to  Taffy's  house,  Taffy  was  in  bed, 
I  took  up  a  poker  and  flung  it  at  his  head. 


TALES. 


61 


DOCTOR  Foster  went  to  Glo'ster 

In  a  shower  of  rain; 
He  stepped  in  a  puddle,  up  to  the  middle, 

And  never  went  there  again. 


TOMMY  kept  a  chandler's  Tommy  gave  him  such  a 
shop,  knock, 

Richard  went  to  buy  a  That  sent  him  out  of  his 
mop,  chandler's  shop. 


62 


NUESEEY  RHYMES. 


TOM,  Tom,  the  piper's  son, 
Stole  a  pig,  and  away  he  run; 

The  pig  was  eat,  and  Tom  was  beat, 
And  Tom  ran  roaring  down  the  street. 

LITTLE  Blue  Betty  lived  in  a  lane, 
She  sold  good  ale  to  gentlemen; 


TALES. 


Gentlemen  came  every  day, 

And  little  Betty  Blue  hopped  away. 

She  hopped  upstairs  to  make  her  bed, 

And  she  tumbled  down  and  broke  her  head. 


THE  man  in  the  moon 

Came  tumbling  down, 
And  asked  his  way  to  Norwich: 

He  went  by  the  south, 

And  burnt  his  mouth 
With  supping  cold  pease-porridge. 


My  Lady  Wind,  my  Lady  Wind, 
Went  round  about  the  house  to  find 

A  chink  to  get  her  foot  in: 
She  tried  the  key-hole  in  the  door, 
She  tried  the  crevice  in  the  floor, 

And  drove  the  chimney  soot  in. 
And  then  one  night  when  it  was  dark, 
She  blew  up  such  a  tiny  spark 

That  all  the  house  was  pothered: 
From  it  she  raised  up  such  a  flame 
As  flamed  away  to  Belting  Lane, 

And  White  Cross  folks  were  smothered. 
And  thus  when  once,  my  little  dears, 
A  whisper  reaches  itching  ears, 

The  same  will  come,  you'll  find: 
Take  my  advice,  restrain  the  tongue, 
Remember  what  old  Nurse  has  sung 

Of  busy  Lady  Wind! 


OLD  Abram  Brown  is  dead  and  gone, 
You'll  never  see  him  more; 

He  used  to  wear  a  long  brown  coat, 
That  buttoned  down  before. 


64 


NUBSERY  RHYMES. 


j 


The  Queen  of  Hearts,  she  made  some  tarts, 

All  on  a  summer's  day; 
The  Knave  of  Hearts,  he  stole  the  tarts, 

And  took  them  clean  away. 

The  King  of  Hearts  called  for  the  tarts, 
And  beat  the  Knave  full  sore; 


TALES. 


The  Knave  of  Hearts  brought  back  the  tarts, 
And  vowed  he'd  steal  no  more. 


THERE  was  an  old  man  of  Cantyre, 
Who  always  stood  back  to  the  fire, 
And  was  quite  at  a  loss 
To  know  why  folks  looked  cross; 
That  selfish  old  man  of  Cantyre, 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


I  HAD  a  little  hobby- 
horse, 
And  it  was  dapple 

grey; 
Its  head  was  made  of 

pea-straw, 

Its  tail  was  made  of 
hay. 

I    sold    it    to    an   old 

woman 

For  a  copper  groat; 
And  I'll  not  sing  my 

song  again 
Without  a  new  coat. 


The  rhyme  of  Jack  Homer  has  been  stated  to  be  a  satire  on  the  Puri- 
tanical aversion  to  Christmas  pies  and  such-like  abominations.  It  forms 
part  of  a  metrical  chap-book  history,  founded  on  the  same  story  as  the 
Friar  and  the  Boy,  entitled  "The  Pleasant  History  of  Jack  Horner,  con- 
taining  his  witty  tricks  and  pleasant  pranks  which  he  played  from  his 
youth  to  his  riper  years:  right  pleasant  and  delightful  for  winter  and 
summer's  recreation,"  embellished  with  frightful  woodcuts,  which  have 
not  much  connectioji  with  the  tale.  The  pleasant  history  commences  as 
follows: 


Jack  Horner  was  a  pretty  lad. 

Near  London  he  did  dwell, 
His  father's  heart  he  made  full  glad, 

His  mother  lov'd  him  well. 
While  little  Jack  was  sweet  and  young, 

If  he  by  chance  should  cry, 
His  mother  pretty  sonnets  sung, 

With  a  lul.la-ba-by, 


With  such  a  dainty  curious  tone. 

As  Jack  sat  on  her  knee, 
So  that  ere  he  could  go  alone 

He  sang  as  well  as  she. 
A  pretty  boy  of  curious  wit. 

All  people  spoke  his  p*aise, 
And  in  the  corner  would  he  lit 

In  Christmas  holidays. 


TALES. 


67 


When  friends  they  did  together  meet 

To  pass  away  the  time, 
Why.  little  Jack,  he  sure  would  eat 

His  Christmas  pie  in  rhyme. 


And  said,  Jack  Homer,  in  the  corner, 

Eats  good  Christmas  pie, 
And  with  his  thumbs  pulls  out  the  plums, 

And  said,  Good  boy  am  1 1 


Here  we  have  an  important  discovery !    Who  before  ever  suspected  that 
the  nursery  rhyme  was  written  by  Jack  Horner  himself? 

LITTLE  Jack  Horner  sat  in  the  corner, 
Eating  a  Christmas  pie; 


He  put  in  his  thumb,  and  took  out  a  plum, 
And  said,  "What  a  good  boy  am  I ! " 


68 NURSERY  RHYMES. ^ 

THERE  was  an  old  woman  who  rode  on  a  broom, 

With  a  high  gee  ho,  gee  humble; 
And  she  took  her  old  cat  behind  for  a  groom, 

With  a  bimble,  bamble,  bumble. 

They  travelled  along  till  they  came  to  the  sky, 

With  a  high  gee  ho,  gee  humble; 
But  the  journey  so  long  made  them  very  hungry, 

With  a  bimble,  bamble,  bumble. 

Says  Tom,  "  I  can  find  nothing  here  to  eat, 

With  a  high  gee  ho,  gee  humble; 
So  let  us  go  back  again,  I  entreat, 

With  a  bimble,  bamble,  bumble. " 

The  old  woman  would  not  go  back  so  soon, 

With  a  high  gee  ho,  gee  humble ; 
For  she  wanted  to  visit  the  Man  in  the  Moon, 

With  a  bimble,  bamble,  bumble. 

Says  Tom,  "I'll  go  back  by  myself  to  our  house, 

With  a  high  gee  ho,  gee  humble ; 
For  there  I  can  catch  a  good  rat  or  a  mouse, 

With  a  bimble,  bamble,  bumble." 

"  But,"  says  the  old  woman,  " how  will  you  go  ? 

With  a  high  gee  ho,  gee  humble ; 
Y"4m  shan't  have  my  nag,  I  protest  and  vow, 

With  a  bimble,  bamble,  bumble. " 

<;  No,  no,"  says  Tom,  "I've  a  plan  of  my  own, 

With  a  high  gee  ho,  gee  humble; " 
So  he  slid  down  the  rainbow,  and  left  her  alone, 

With  a  bimble,  bamble,  bumble. 

So  now,  if  you  happen  to  visit  the  sky, 

With  a  high  gee  ho,  gee  humble, 
And  want  to  come  back,  you  Tom's  method  may  try, 

With  a  bimble,  bamble,  bumble. 


TALES. 


A  DOG  and  a  cock  a  journey  once  took, 
They  travelled  along  till  't  was  late; 

The  dog  he  made  free  in  the  hollow  of  a  tree; 
And  the  cock  on  the  boughs  of  it  sate. 

The  cock,  nothing  knowing, 

In  the  morn  fell  a- crowing, 
Upon  which  comes  a  fox  to  the  tree-, 

Say  she,  "I  declare 

Your  voice  is  above 
All  the  creatures  I  ever  did  see. 

Oh,  would  you  come  down, 

I  the  fav'rite  might  own! " 
Said  the  cock,  "There's  a  porter  below; 

If  you  will  go  in, 

I  promise  I'll  come  down." 
So  he  went — and  was  worried  for  it  too. 


THERE  was  a  King,  and  he  had  three  daughter, 
And  they  all  lived  in  a  basin  of  water; 

The  basin  bended, 

My  story's  ended. 
If  the  basin  had  been  stronger 
My  story  would  have  been  longer. 


FOURTH   CLASS 


ST.  SWITHIN'S  Day,  if  thou  dost  rain, 
For  forty  days  it  will  remain  : 
St  S  within  's  Day,  if  thou  be  fair, 
For  forty  days  't  will  rain  na  mair. 


BOUNCE  BUCKRAM,  velvet's  dear: 
Christmas  comes  but  once  a  year. 

SHOE  the  horse  and  shoe  the  mare; 
But  let  the  little  colt  go  bare. 


[Hours  of  sleep.] 

NATURE  requires  five;  Laziness  takes  nine, 

Custom  gives  seven;  And  Wickedness  eleven. 

170] 


PROVERBS. 


71 


To  make  your  candles  last  for  aye, 
You  wives  and  maids  give  ear-of 

To  put  'em  out's  the  only  way, 
Says  honest  John  Boldero. 

A  SWARM  of  bees  in  May 
Is  worth  a  load  of  hay; 


72 NURSEEY  EHYMES. 

A  swarm  of  bees  in  June        A  swarm  of  bees  in  July 
Is  worth  a  silver  spoon ;          Is  not  worth  a  fly. 

IF  wishes  were  horses, 

Beggars  would  ride; 
If  turnips  were  watches, 

I  would  wear  one  by  my  side. 


A  MAN  of  words  and  not  of  deeds, 

Is  like  a  garden  full  of  weeds; 

And  when  the  weeds  begin  to  grow, 

It's  like  a  garden  full  of  snow; 

And  when  the  snow  begins  to  fall, 

It's  like  a  bird  upon  the  wall; 

And  when  the  bird  away  does  fly, 

It's  like  an  eagle  in  the  sky; 

And  when  the  sky  begins  to  roar, 

It's  like  a  lion  at  the  door; 

And  when  the  door  begins  to  crack, 

It's  like  a  stick  across  your  back; 

And  when  your  back  begins  to  smart, 

It's  like  a  penknife  in  your  heart; 

And  when  your  heart  begins  to  bleed, 

You're  dead,  and  dead,  and  dead  indeed. 


A  MAN  of  words  and  not  of  deeds, 
Is  like  a  garden  full  of  weeds; 
For  when  the  weeds  begin  to  grow, 
Then  doth  the  garden  overflow. 

FOR  every  every  evil  under  the  sun 
There  is  a  remedy,  or  there  is  none. 
If  there  be  one,  try  and  find  it; 
If  there  be  none,  never  mind  it. 


PROVERBS.  73 


T?' 


NEEDLES  and  pins, 
needles  and  pins, 

When  a  man  marries 
his  trouble  begins. 

A  SUNSHINY  shower 
Won't  last  half  an 
hour 

A  PULLET  in  the  pen 

Is  worth  a  hundred  in  the  fen. 

IF  you  sneeze  on  Monday,  you  sneeze  for  danger; 

Sneeze  on  a  Tuesday,  kiss  a  stranger; 

Sneeze  on  a  Wednesday,  sneeze  for  a  letter; 

Sneeze  on  a  Thursday,  something  better; 

Sneeze  on  a  Friday,  sneeze  for  sorrow ; 

Sneeze  on  a  Saturday,  see  your  sweetheart  to-morrow. 


THEY  that  wash  on  Monday 

Have  all  the  week  to  dry; 
They  that  wash  on  Tuesday 

Are  not  so  much  awry; 
They  that  wash  on  Wednesday 

Are  not  so  much  to  blame; 
They  that  wash  on  Thursday, 

Wash  for  shame; 
They  that  wash  on  Friday, 

Wash  in  need; 
And  they  that  wash  on  Saturday, 

Oh !  they're  sluts  indeed. 


As  the  days  grow  longer 
The  storms  grow  stronger. 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


WHEN  the  wind  is  in  the  east, 

'T  is  neither  good  for  man  nor  beast; 


When  the  wind  is  in  the  north, 
The  skilful  fisher  goes  not  forth  j 


PROVERBS. 


75 


When  the  wind  is  in 

the  south, 
It  blows  the  bait  in 

the  fishes'  mouth; 


,Vhen  the  wind  is  in 

the  west, 
Then  't  is  at  the  very 

best 


76 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


THREE  straws  on  a  staff, 

Would  make  a  baby  cry  and  laugh. 

SEE  a  pin  and  pick  it  up, 

All  the  day  you'll  have  good  luck; 

See  a  pin  and  let  it  lay, 

Bad  luck  you'll  have  all  the  day. 

Go  to  bed  first,  a  golden  purse; 

Go  to  bed  second,  a  golden  pheasant; 

Go  to  bed  third,  a  golden  bird! 


As  the  days  lengthen 
So  the  storms  strengthen. 


PROVERBS. 


77 


In  Suffolk,  children  are  often  reminded  of  the  decorum  due  to  the 
Sabbath  by  the  following  lines. 

YEOW  mussent  sing  a'  Sunday, 

Becaze  it  is  a  sin, 
But  yeow  may  sing  a'  Monday 

Till  Sunday  cums  agin. 


HE  that  goes  to  see  his  wheat  in  May, 
Comes  weeping  away. 


LAZY  Lawrence,  let  me  go, 

Don't  hold  me  summer  and  winter  too. 

This  distich  is  said  by  a  boy  who  feels  very  lazy,  yet  wishes  to  exert 
himself.  Lazy  Lawrence  is  a  proverbial  expression  for  an  idle  person, 
and  there  is  an  old  chap-book,  entitled  "the  History  of  Lawrence  Lazy, 
containing  his  birth  and  slotful  breeding  ;  how  he  served  the  school- 
master, his  wife,  the  squire's  cook,  and  the  farmer,  which,  by  the  laws 
of  Lubberland,  was  accounted  high  treason."  A  west  country  proverb^ 
relating  to  a  disciple  of  this  hero,  runs  thus: 

Sluggardy  guise, 
Loth  to  go  to  bed, 
And  loth  to  rise. 


78  NURSERY  RHYMES. 


HE  that  would  thrive          He  that  hath  thriven 
Must  rise  at  five ;  May  lie  till  seven; 

And  he  that  by  the  plough  would  thrive, 
Himself  must  either  hold  or  drive. 


IN  July,  In  August, 

Some  reap  rye;  If  one  will  not  the  other 

must. 


Proverbial  many  years  ago,  when  the  guinea  in  gold  was  of  a  higher 
value  than  its  nominal  representative  in  silver. 

A  GUINEA  it  would  sink, 

And  a  pound  it  would  float; 

Yet  I'd  rather  have  a  guinea, 
Than  your  one  pound  note. 


THE  art  of  good  driving  is  a  paradox  quite, 
Though  custom  has  proved  it  so  long: 

If  you  go  to  the  left,  you're  sure  to  go  right, 
If  you  go  to  the  right,  you  go  wrong. 


THE  mackerel's  cry 
Is  never  long  dry. 


PROVERBS. 


79 


The  proverb  of  tit  for  tat  may  perhaps  be  said  to  be  going  out  of 
fashion,  but  it  is  still  a  universal  favorite  with  children.  When  any  one 
is  ill-natured,  and  the  sufferer  wishes  to  hint  his  intention  of  retaliating 
at  the  first  convenient  opportunity,  he  cries  out — 

TIT  for  tat, 

If  you  kill  my  dog, 

I'll  kill  your  cat. 


MARCH  will  search, 
April  will  try, 

May  will  tell  ye  if  ye'll 
live  or  die. 


WHEN  the  sand  doth  feed  the  clay, 
England  woe  and  well-a-day! 
But  when  the  clay  doth  feed  the  sand, 
Then  it  is  well  with  Angle-land. 


A  CAT  may  look  at  a  King, 
And  surely  I  may  look  at  an  ugly  thing. 
Said  in  derision  by  one  child  to  another,  who  com- 
plains of  being  stared  at. 

FRIDAY  night's  dream 
On  the  Saturday  told, 

Is  sure  to  come  true, 
Be  it  never  so  old. 


TRIM  tram, 
Like  master  like  man. 

Prom  an  old  manuscript  political  treatise,  dated  1652,  entitled 
may  lopk  at  a  King/' 


80   NURSERY  RHYMES. 

HE  that  hath  it  and  will  not  keep  it, 
He  that  wanteth  it  and  will  not  seek  it, 
He  that  drinketh  and  is  not  dry, 
Shall  want  money  as  well  as  I. 
From  Howell's  English  Proverbs,  1659,  p.  21. 


Sow  in  the  sop, 

'T  will  be  heavy  a-top. 

That  is,  land  in  a  soppy  or  wet  state  is  in  a  favorable  condition  for  re- 
ceiving seed ;  a  statement,  however,  somewhat  questionable. 

GRAY'S  Inn  for  walks, 

Lincoln's  Inn  for  a  wall, 
The  Inner-Temple  for  a  garden, 

And  the  Middle  for  a  hall. 
A  proverb,  no  doubt,  true  in  former  times,  but  now  only  partially  correct. 


IN  time  of  prosperity  friends  will  be  plenty, 
In  time  of  adversity  not  one  amongst  twenty. 

From  Howell's  English  Proverbs,  p.  20.  The  expression,  not  one 
amongst  twenty,  is  a  generic  one  for  not  one  out  of  a  large  number.  It 
occurs  in  Shakespeare's  "Much  Ado  About  Nothing,"  V.,  2. 


BEER  a  bumble, 

'T  will  kill  you 

Afore  't  will  make  ye  tumble. 

A  proverbial  phrase  applied  to  very  small  beer,  an  home  brewed 
beverage  formerly  very  common  in  the  rural  parts  of  England,  implying 
that  no  quantity  of  it  will  cause  intoxication. 


THE  fair  maid  who,  the  first  of  May, 
Goes  to  the  fields  at  break  of  day, 
And  washes  in  dew  from  the  hawthorn-tree, 
Will  ever  after  handsome  be. 


FIFTH    CLASS. 

Scholastic. 


A  DILLER,  a  dollar, 

A  ten  o'clock  scholar, 
What  makes  you  come  so 

soon? 
You  used  to  come  at  ten 

o'clock, 
But  now  you  come  at  noon. 


SPEAK  when  you're  spoken 
to, 

Come  when  one  call, 
Shut  the  door  after  you, 

And  turn  to  the  wall. 


BIRCH    and    green    holly, 
boys, 

Birch  and  green  holly. 
If  you  get  beaten,  boys, 

'T  will  be  your  own  folly. 


82 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


TELL  tale,  tit ! 
Your  tongue  shall  be  slit, 
And  all  the  dogs  in  the  town 
Shall  have  a  little  bit. 


A  Greek  bill  of  fare. 
LEGOMOTON, 
Acapon, 
Afatgheuse, 
Pasti  venison. 


The  joke  of  the  following  consists  in  saying  it  so  quick  that  it  cannot 
be  told  whether  it  is  English  or  gibberish.  It  was  a  schoolboy's  rhyme 
in  the  fifteenth  century. 


IN  fir  tar  is, 
In  oak  none  is. 
In  mud  eel  is, 


In  clay  none  is. 
Goat  eat  ivy, 
Mare  eat  oats. 


The  dominical  letters  attached  to  the  first  days  of  the  several  months 
are  remembered  by  the  following  lines: 

At  Dover  Dwells  George  Brown  Esquire, 
Good  Christopher  Finch,  And  David  Friar. 


COME     when     you're 

called, 

Do  what  you're  bid, 
Shut   the  door  after 

you, 
Never  be  chid. 


THE  rose  is  red, 

The  grass  is  green; 
And  in  this  book 

My  name,  is,  seen. 


SCHOLASTIC. 


83 


MULTIPLICATION  is  vexation, 

Division  is  as  bad; 
The  Rule  of  Three  doth  puzzle  me, 

And  Practice  drives  me  mad. 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


CROSS-PATCH, 
Draw  the  latch, 
Sit  by  the  fire  and  spin; 


Take  a  cup, 
And  drink  it  up, 
Then  call  your  neighbors 
in. 


SCHOLASTIC. 


DOCTOR   FAUSTUS  was  a  good 

man, 
He  whipped  his  scholars  now 

and  then; 
When  he  whipped  them  he  made 

them  dance 

Out  of  Scotland  into  France, 
Out  of  France  into  Spain, 
And  then  he  whipped  them  back 

again ! 

WHEN  I  was  a  little  boy  I  had 

but  little  wit; 
It  is  some  time  ago,  and  I've 

more  yet; 
Nor  ever  ever  shall  until  that  I 

die, 
For  the  longer  I  live  the  more 

fool  am  I. 


The  following  memorial  lines  are  by  no  means  modern.  They  occur, 
with  slight  variations,  in  an  old  play  called  "  The  Returne  from  Parnas- 
sus," 4to.  Lond.  1606. 

THIRTY  days  hath  September, 
April,  June,  and  November; 
February  has  twenty- eight  alone, 
All  the  rest  have  thirty- one, 
Excepting  Leap-year,  that's  the  time 
When  February's  days  are  twenty-nine. 


A  laconic  reply  to  a  person  who  indulges  much  in  supposition. 

IF  "ifs"and  "ands" 
Were  pots  and  pans, 
There  would  be  no  nee.d  for  tinkers! 


86  NUfiSEB  Y  J2HYMES. 


MISTRESS  MARY,  quite  contrary, 
How  does  your  garden  grow? 

With  cockle-shells  and  silver  bells 
And  mussels  all  a-row. 


MY  story's  ended,  Go  to  the  next  door 

My  spoon  is  bended:  And  get  it  mended. 

If  you  don't  like  it, 

On  arriving  at  the  end  of  a  book,  boys  have  a  practice  of  reciting  the 
following  absurd  lines  which  form  the  word  y?«z'j  backward  and  forwards 
by  the  initials  of  the  words. 

FATHER  IOHNSON  Nicholas  Johnson's  Son — 
Son  lohnson  Nicholas  Johnson's  Father. 

To  "get  to  Father  Johnson,"  therefore,  was  to  reach  the  end  of  the  book. 


WHEN  V  and  I  together  meet, 
They  make  the  number  Six  complete. 
When  I  with  V  doth  meet  once  more, 
Then  't  is  they  Two  can  make  but  Four. 
And  when  that  V  from  I  is  gone, 
Alas !  poor  I  can  make  but  One. 


SIXTH  CLASS. 


Songs. 


OH,  where  are  you  going, 

My  pretty  maiden  fair, 
With  your  red  rosy  cheeks, 

And  your  coal-black 

hair? 
I'm  going  a-milking, 

Kind  sir,  says  she, 
And  it's  dabbling  in  the  dew 

Where  you'll  find  me. 

May  I  go  with  you, 
My  pretty  maiden  fair, 
etc. 

Oh,  you  may  go  with  me, 
Kind  sir,  says  she,  etc. 


If  I  should  chance  to  kiss 

you, 

My  pretty  maiden  fair, 

etc. 

The  wind  may  take  it  off 
again, 
Kind  sir,  says  she,  etc. 

And  what  is  your  father, 
My  pretty  maiden  fair  ? 
etc. 

My  father's  a  farmer, 
Kind  sir,  says  she,  etc. 

And  what  is  your  mother, 
My  pretty  maiden  fair  ? 


[87] 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


With  your  red  rosy  cheeks, 
And  your  coal-black 

hair? 


My  mother's  a  dairymaid, 
Kind  sir,  says  she, 

And  it's  dabbling  in  the  dew 
Where  you'll  find  me. 


WHERE  are  you  going,  my  pretty  maid, 
With  your  rosy  cheeks  and  golden  hair  ? 

"I'm  going  a-milking,  sir,"  she  said; 
The  strawberry-leaves  make  maidens  fair. 


SONGS. 


89 


Shall  I  go  with  you,  my  pretty  maid, 

With  your  rosy  cheeks  and  golden  hair  ? 
"  Yes,  if  you  please,  kind  sir,"  she  said; 

The  strawberry-leaves  make  maidens  fair. 

What  is  your  father,  my  pretty  maid, 

With  your  rosy  cheeks  and  golden  hair  ? 
*'  My  father's  a  farmer,  sir,"  she  said; 

The  strawberry-leaves  make  maidens  fair. 

What  is  your  fortune,  my  pretty  maid, 

With  your  rosy  cheeks  and  golden  hair  ? 
"  My  face  is  my  fortune,  sir,"  she  said; 

The  strawberry-leaves  make  maidens  fair. 

Then  I  won't  have  you,  my  pretty  maid, 
With  your  rosy  cheeks  and  golden  hair. 
**  Nobody  asked  you,  sir,"  she  said; 

The  strawberry-leaves  make  maidens  fair. 


You  shall  have  an  apple, 
You  shall  have  a  plum, 

You  shall  have  a  rattle-basket, 
When  your  dad  comes  home. 

LEND  me  thy  mare  to  ride  a  mile? 
She  is  lamed,  leaping  over  a  stile. 
Alack !  and  I  must  keep  the  fair ! 
I'll  give  thee  money  for  thy  mare. 
Oh,  oh !  say  you  so  ? 
Money  will  make  the  mare  to  go. 


UP  at  Piccadilly  oh !  the  coachman  takes  his  stand, 
And  when  he  meets  a  pretty  girl,  he  takes  her  by  the  hand; 
Whip  away  for  ever  oh !  drive  away  so  clever  oh ! 
All  the  way  to  Bristol  oh !  he  drives  her  four-in-hand. 


90 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


POLLY,  put  the  kettle  on, 

Polly,  put  the  kettle  on, 

Polly,  put  the  kettle  on, 

And  let's  drink  tea. 

Sukey,  take  it  off  again, 
Sukey,  take  it  off  again, 
Sukey,  take  it  off  again, 
They're  all  gone  away. 

JEANIE  come  tie  my, 
Jeanie  come  tie  my, 
Jeanie  come  tie  my  bonnie 

cravat ; 

I've  tied  it  behind, 
I've  tied  it  before, 
And  I've  tied  it  so  often,  I'll 
tie  it  no  more. 


SONGS. 


91 


92 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


£&L> 


The  original  of  the 
following  is  to  be 
found  in  "  Deute- 
romelia,  or  the  sec- 
ond part  of  Musicks 
Melodic,"  4to,  Lond. 
1609,  where  the  mu- 
sic is  also  given. 

THREE  blind  mice, 

see  how  they  run! 
They  all  ran  after 

the  farmer's  wife, 
Who  cut  off  their 

tails  with  the 

carving-knife ; 
Did  you  ever  see 

such  fools  in  your 
life? 
Three  blind  mice. 


SONGS. 


THE  fox  and  his  wife  they  had  a  great  strife, 
The  never  ate  mustard  in  all  their  whole  life; 
They  ate  their  meat  without  fork  or  knife, 
And  loved  to  be  picking  a  bone,  e-ho ! 

The  fox  jumped  up  on  a  moonlight  night, 
The  stars  they  were  shining,  and  all  things  bright; 
Oh,  ho!  said  the  fox,  it's  a  very  fine  night 
For  me  to  go  through  the  town,  e-ho ! 

The  fox  when  he  came  to  yonder  stile, 
He  lifted  his  lugs  and  he  listened  awhile; 
Oh,  ho !  said  the  fox,  it's  but  a  short  mile 
From  this  unto  yonder  wee  town,  e-ho! 

The  fox  when  he  came  to  the  farmer's  gate, 
Who  should  he  see  but  the  farmer's  drake: 
I  love  you  well  for  your  master's  sake, 
And  long  to  be  picking  your  bone,  e-ho! 

Then  the  old  man  got  up  in  his  red  cap, 
And  swore  he  would  catch  the  fox  in  a  trap; 
But  the  fox  was  too  cunning,  and  gave  him  the  slip, 
And  ran  thro'  the  town,  the  town,  e-oh ! 


94  NUBSEE  Y  RHYMES. 

When  he  got  to  the  top  of  the  hill, 
He  blew  his  trumpet  both  loud  and  shrill, 
For  joy  that  he  was  safe 
Through  the  town,  e-oh! 

When  the  fox  came  back  to  his  den, 
He  had  young  ones  both  nine  and  ten,  f 

•'  You're  welcome  home,  daddy ;  you  may  go  again, 
If  you  bring  us  such  nice  meat 
From  the  town,  e-oh!" 

The  grey  goose  she  ran  round  the  hay-stack, 
Oh,  ho !  said  the  fox,  you  are  very  fat ; 
You'll  grease  my  beard  and  ride  on  my  back 
From  this  into  yonder  wee  town,  e-ho ! 

Old  Gammer  Hippie-hopple  hopped  out  of  bed, 
She  opened  the  casement,  and  popped  out  her  head; 
Oh !  husband,  oh !  husband,  the  grey  goose  is  dead, 
And  the  fox  is  gone  through  the  town,  oh! 

ONE  misty  moisty  morning 
When  cloudy  was  the  weather, 

There  I  met  an  old  man 
Clothed  all  in  leather; 
Clothed  all  in  leather, 

With  cap  under  his  chin, — 
How  do  you  do,  and  how  do  you  do, 

And  how  do  you  do  again  ? 

From  W.  Wager's  play,  called   "The  longer  thou  livest,  the  more  foole 
thou  art,"  4to,  Lond. 

THE  white  dove  sat  on  the  castle  wall, 

I  bend  my  bow  and  shoot  her  I  shall; 

I  put  her  in  my  glove  both  feathers  and  all; 

I  laid  my  bridle  upon  the  shelf, 

If  you  will  any  more,  sing  it  yourself. 


SONGS. 


05 


LITTLE  Tom  Dogget, 

What  does  thou  mean, 
To  kill  thy  poor  Colly 

Now  she's  so  lean  ? 
Sing,  oh  poor  Colly, 

Colly,  my  cow; 
For  Colly  will  give  me 

No  more  milk  now. 

I  had  better  have  kept  her 
Till  fatter  she  had  been, 

For  now,  I  confess, 
She's  a  little  too  lean. 

Sing,  oh  poor  Colly,  etc. 

First  in  comes  the  tanner 
With  his  sword  by  his 

side, 

And  he  bids  me  five  shil- 
lings, 

For  my  poor  cow's  hide. 
Sing,  oh  poor  Colly,  etc. 


Then  in  comes  the  tallow- 
chandler, 

Whose  brains  were  but 
shallow, 
And  he  bids  me  two-and- 

sixpence 

For  my  cow's  tallow. 
Sing,  oh  poor  Colly,  etc. 

Then  in  comes  the  hunts- 
maii 

So  early  in  the  morn, 
He  bids  me  a  penny 

For  my  cow's  horn. 
Sing,  oh  poor  Colly,  etc. 

Then  in  comes  the  tripe- 
woman, 

So  fine  and  so  neat, 
She  bids  me  three  half- 
pence 

For  my  cow's  feet. 
Sing,  oh  poor  Colly,  etc. 


96 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


Then  in  comes  the  butcher, 
That  nimble- tongued 

youth, 

Who  said  she  was  carrion, 
But  he  spoke  not  the 

truth. 
Sing,  oh  poor  Colly,  etc. 

The  skin  of  my  cowly 
Was  softer  than  silk, 

And  three  times  a  day 
My  poor  cow  would 

give  milk. 

Sing,  oh  poor  Colly,  etc. 

She  every  year 

A  fine  calf  did  me  bring, 
Which  fetched  me  a  pound, 

For  it  came  in  the  spring. 
Sing,  oh  poor  Colly,  etc. 


But  now  I  have  killed  her 

I  can't  her  recall; 
I  will  sell  my  poor  Colly, 

Hide,  horns  and  all. 
Sing,  oh  poor  Colly,  etc. 

The  butcher  shall  have  her, 
Though  he  gives  but  a 

pound, 

And  he  knows  in  his  heart 
That  my  Colly  was 

sound. 
Sing,  oh  poor  Colly,  etc. 

And  when  he  has  bought 
her, 

Let  him  sell  altogether 
The  flesh  for  to  eat, 

And  the  hide  for  leather. 
Sing,  oh  poor  Colly,  etc. 


A  different  version  from  the  above,  commencing,  "  My  Billy  Aroma,"  is 
current  in  the  nurseries  of  Cornwall.    One  verse  runs  as  follows: 

In  comes  the  homer, 

Who  roguery  scorns, 
And  he  gives  me  three  farthings 

For  poor  cowly's  horns. 

This  is  better  than  our  reading,  and  concludes  thus: 

There's  an  end  to  my  cowly, 

Now  she's  dead  and  gone; 
For  the  loss  of  my  cowly 

I  sob  and  I  mourn. 


A  north  of  England  song. 

SAYS  t'  auld  man  tit  oak-tree, 

Young  and  lusty  was  I  when  I  kenn'd  thee; 
I  was  young  and  lusty,  I  was  fair  and  clear, 

Young  and  lusty  was  I  mony  a  lang  year; 
But  sair  fail'd  am  I,  sair  fail'd  now, 

Sair  fail'd  am  I  sen  I  kenn'd  thou. 


SONGS. 


MY  maid  Mary  she  minds  her  dairy, 
While  I  go  a-hoeing  and  mowing  each  morn; 

Merrily  run  the  reel  and  the  little  spinning-wheel 
Whilst  I  am  singing  and  mowing  my  corn. 


LITTLE   Bo-peep  has   lost 

his  sheep, 
And  can't  tell  where  to 

find  them ; 
Leave    them    alone,    and 

they'll  come  home, 
And  bring  their  tails  be- 
hind them. 


Little  Bo-peep  fell  fast  asleep, 
And  dreamt  he  heard  them  bleating; 

But  when  he  awoke  he  found  it  a  joke, 
For  they  were  all  still  fleeting. 

Then  up  he  took  his  little  crook, 

Determined  for  to  find  them; 
He  found  them  indeed,  but  it  made  his  heart  bleed, 

For  they'd  left  all  their  tails  behind  'em I 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


WHEN  I  was  a  little  boy 

I  lived  by  myself ; 
And    all    the    bread    and 
cheese  I  got 

I  put  upon  the  shelf. 

The  rats  and  the  mice 
They  made  such  a  strife, 

I  was  forced  to  go  to  Lon- 
don town 
To  buy  me  a  wife. 


The  streets  were  so  broad, 

And  the  lanes  were  so  narrow, 

I  was  forced  to  bring  my  wife  home 
In  a  wheelbarrow. 


SONGS. 


99 


The  wheelbarrow  broke, 
And  my  wife  had  a  fall, 

Down  came  wheelbarrow, 
Wife  and  all. 

A  PRETTY  little  girl  in  a  round- 
eared  cap 

I  met  in  the  streets  t'  other  day ; 
She  gave  me  such  a  thump, 

That  my  heart  it  went  bump; 
I  thought  I  should  have  fainted 

away! 

I  thought  I  should  have  fainted 
away! 

As  I  was  going  along,  long,  long, 
A- singing  a  comical  song,  song, 

song, 
The  lane  that  I  went  was  so  long, 

long,  long, 
And  the  song  that  I  sung  was  as 

long,  long,  long, 
And  so  I  went  singing  along. 


100 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


The  first  line  of  this  nursery  rhyme  is  quoted  in  Beaumont  and 
Fletcher's  "Bonduca,"  Act  V.,  sc.  2.  It  is  probable  also  that  Sir 
Toby  alludes  to  this  song  in  "Twelfth  Night,"  Act  II.,  sc.  2,  when  he 
says  "  Come  on ;  there  is  sixpence  for  you:  let's  have  a  song."  In 
"Epulario,  or  the  Italian  Banquet,"  1589,  is  a  receipt  "to  make  pies 
so  that  the  birds  may  be  alive  in  them  and  flie  out  when  it  is  cut  up," 
— a  mere  device,  live  birds  being  introduced  after  the  pie  is  made 
This  may  be  the  original  subject  of  the  following  song : 


SONGS. 


101 


SING  a  song  of  sixpence, 

A  bag  full  of  rye ; 
Four-and-twenty  blackbirds 

Baked  in  a  pie; 
When  the  pie  was  opened 

The  birds  began  to  sing; 
Was  not  that  a  dainty  dish 

To  set  before  the  King  ? 
The  King  was  in  his  counting-house, 

Counting  out  his  money; 
The  Queen  was  in  the  parlour, 

Eating  bread  and  honey; 
The  maid  was  in  the  garden 

Hanging  out  the  clothes; 
By  came  a  little  bird, 

And  snapt  off  her  nose. 

Jenny  was  so  mad 

She  didn't  know  what  to  do; 
She  put  her  finger  in  her  ear, 

And  cracked  it  right  in  two. 


102 NURSERY  RHYMES. 

ABOUT  the  bush,  Willy,  Five  and  five  shillings. 
About  the  bee- hive,  Five  and  a  crown, 

About  the  bush,  Willy,  Five  and  five  shillings 
I'll  meet  thee  alive.  Will  buy  a  new  gown. 

Then  to  my  ten  shillings  Five  and  five  shillings, 
Add  you  but  a  groat,  Five  and  a  groat ; 

I'll  go  to  Newcastle,  Five  and  five  shillings 
And  buy  a  new  coat.  Will  buy  a  new  coat 


From   "Histrio-ma?tix;  or,  the  Player  Whipt,"  4to,  Lond.  1610.     Mr. 
Rimbaultsays  this  is  common  in  Yorkshire. 

SOME  up  and  some  down,  Besides  we  that  travel, 

There's  players  in   the  With    pumps     full     of 

town,  gravel, 

You  wot  well  who  they  be  Made  all  of  such  running 

The  sun  doth  arise  leather, 

To  three  companies,  That  once  in  a  week 

One,     two,     three,    four,  New  masters  we  seek, 

make  we !  And  never  can    hold  to- 
gether. 

OLD  Father  of  the  Pye, 

I  cannot  sing,  my  lips  are  dry; 

But  when  my  lips  are  very  well  wet, 

Then  I  can  sing  with  the  Heigh  go  Bet ! 

This  appears  to  be  an  old  hunting  song.      Go  bet  is  a  very  ancient  sport- 
ing phrase,  equivalent  to  go  along.     It  occurs  in  Chaucer. 


As  I  was  going  up  the  hill, 

I  met  with  Jack  the  piper, 
And  all  the  tunes  that  he  could  play 

Was  "Tie  up  your  petticoats  tighter." 
I  tied  them  once,  I  tied  them  twice, 

I  tied  them  three  times  over  ; 
And  all  the  songs  that  he  could  sing 

Was  "Carry  me  safe  to  Dover." 


103 


MY  father  he  died,  but  I  can't  tell 

you  how, 
He  left  me  six  horses  to  drive  in 

my  plough : 

With  my  wing  wang  waddle  oh, 
Jack  sing  saddle  oh, 
Blowsey  boys  buble  oh, 
Under  the  broom. 

I  sold  my  six  horses,  and  I  bought  me  a  cow, 
I'd  fain  have  made  a  fortune,  but  did  not  know  how: 
With  my,  &c. 

I  sold  my  cow,  and  I  bought  me  a  calf  ; 
I'd  fain  have  made  a  fortune,  but  lost  the  best  half  : 
With  my,  &c. 

I  sold  my  calf,  and  I  bought  me  a  cat ; 
A  pretty  thing  she  was,  in  my  chimney  corner  sat: 
With  my,  &c. 

I  sold  my  cat,  and  bought  me  a  mouse  ; 
He  carried  fire  in  his  tail,  and  burnt  down  my  house : 
With  my,  &c. 


THERE  was  a  jolly  miller 

Lived  on  the  River  Dee  ; 
He  worked  and  sung  from  morn  till  night, 

No  lark  so  blithe  as  he  ; 


104 


And  tkis  the  burden  of  his  song 
For  ever  used  to  be — 

I  jump  mejerrime  jee ! 
I  care  for  nobody — no  !  not  I, 

Since  nobody  cares  for  me. 


TRIP  upon  trenches,   and 

dance  upon  dishes, 
My  mother  sent  me  for 
some   barm,    some 

barm: 

She    bade    me    tread 
lightly,    a-nd   come 

again  quickly, 
For  fear  the  young  men 
should  do  me  some 

harm. 
Yet  didn't  you  see,   yet 

didn't  you  see, 
What  naughty  tricks  they 
put  upon  me: 


They  broke  my  pitcher, 
And  spilt  the  water, 

And  huffed  my  mother, 

And  chid  her  daughter, 
And  kissed  my  sister  instead  of  me. 


IF  I'd  as  much  money  as  I  could  spend, 
I  never  would  cry  old  chairs  to  mend; 
Old  chairs  to  mend,  old  chairs  to  mend, 
I  never  would  cry  old  chairs  to  mend. 


105 


If  I'd  as  much  money  as  I  could  tell, 
I  never  would  cry  old  clothes  to  sell, 
Old  clothes  to  sell,  old  clothes  to  sell, 
I  never  would  cry  old  clothes  to  sell. 


LONDON  "bridge  is  broken 

down, 

Dance  o'er  my  Lady  Lee ; 
London  bridge  is  broken 

down, 
With  a  gay  ladye. 

How  shall  we  build  it  up 

again  ? 

Dance  o'er  my  Lady  Lee ; 
How  shall  we  build  it  up 

again? 
With  a  gay  ladye. 

Silver  and  gold    will   be 

stole  away, 

Dance  o'er  my  Lady  Lee ; 
Silver  and    gold    will  be 

stole  away, 
With  a  gay  ladye. 


Build  it  up  again  with  iron 

and  steel, 

Dance  o'er  my  Lady  Lee ; 
Build  it  up  with  iron  and 

steel, 
With  a  gay  ladye. 

Iron  and  steel  will  bend 

and  bow, 

Dance  o'er  my  Lady  Lee ; 
Iron  and  steel  will  bend 

and  bow, 
With  a  gay  ladye. 

Build  it  up  with  wood  and 

clay, 

Dance  o'er  my  Lady  Lee ; 
Build  it  up  with  wood  and 

clay, 
With  a  gay  ladye. 


106 


NURSES,  Y  RE  YMES. 


Wood  and  clay  will  wash 

away, 

Dance  o'er  my  Lady  Lee ; 
Wood  and  clay  will  wash 

away, 
With  a  gay  ladye. 


Build  it  up  with  stone  so 

strong, 

Dance  o'er  my  Lady  Lee ; 
Huzza.  I  t'will  last  for  ages 

long, 
With  a  gay  ladye. 


The  following  catch  is  found  in  Ben  Jonson's  "Masque  of  Oberon,"  and 
is  a  most  common  nursery  song  at  the  present  day. 

Buz,  quoth  the  blue  fly, 
Hum,  quoth  the  bee, 
Buz  and  hum  they  cry, 

And  so  do  we : 
In  his  ear,  in  his  nose,  thus, 

do  you  see  ? 

He  ate  the  dormouse,  else  it 
was  he. 


JACKY,    come   give   me 

the  fiddle, 
If  ever  thou  mean  to 

thrive, 
Nay,    I'll  not   give  my 

fiddle 
To  any  man  alive. 

If   I    should    give    my 

fiddle 
They '11  think  that  I'm 

gone  mad, 

:"or  many  a  joyful  day 
My  fiddle  and  I  have 
had. 


SONGS. 


107 


JOHNNY  shall  have  a  new  bonnet, 

And  Johnny  shall  go  to  the  fair, 
And  Johnny  shall   have    a    blue 
ribbon 

To  tie  up  his  bonny  brown  hair. 
And  why  may  not  I  love  Johnny  ? 

And  why  may  not  Johnny  love 

me? 
And  why  may  not  I  love  Johnny, 

As  well  as  another  body  ? 
And  here's  a  leg  for  a  stocking, 

And  here  is  a  leg  for  a  shoe, 
And  he  has  a  kiss  for  his  daddy, 

And  two  for  his  mammy,  I  trow. 
And  why  may  not  I  love  Johnny  ? 

And  why  may  not  Johnny  love 

me  ? 
And  why  may  not  I  love  Johnny 

As  well  as  another  body  ? 


I  LOVE  sixpence,  pretty  little  sixpence, 
I  love  sixpence  better  than  my  life ; 

I  spent  a  penny  of  it,  I  spent  another, 
And  took  fourpence  home  to  my  wife. 

Oh,  my  little  fourpence,  pretty  little  fourpence, 
I  love  fourpence  better  than  my  life- 

I  spent  a  penny  of  it,  I  spent  another, 
And  I  took  twopence  home  to  my  wife. 

Oh,  my  little  twopence,  my  pretty  little  twopence, 
I  love  twopence  better  than  my  life ; 

I  spent  a  penny  of  it,  I  spent  another, 
And  I  took  nothing  home  to  my 


108 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


Oh,  my  little  nothing,  my  pretty  little  nothing, 
What  will  nothing  buy  for  my  wife  ? 

I  have  nothing,  I  spend  nothing, 
I  love  nothing  better  than  my  wife. 


I  HAVE  been  to  market,  my 

lady,  my  lady. 
Then  you've  not  been  to  the 

fair,  says  pussy,  says  pussy. 
I  bought  me  a  rabbit,  my 

lady,  my  lady. 
Then  you  did  not  buy  a  hare, 

says  pussy,  says  pussy. 


I  roasted  it  my  lady, 

my  lady. 
Then  you  did  not  boil 

it,  says  pussy,  says 

pussy. 
I  ate  it,  my  lady,  my 

lady. 
And    I'll    eat    you! 

says  pussy. 


I  ploughed  it  with  a  ram's 

horn, 

Sing  ivy,  sing  ivy; 
And  sowed  it  all  over  with 

one  peppercorn, 
Sing  holly,    go  whistle 
and  ivy! 


MY  father  left  me  three 

acres  of  land, 
Sing  ivy,  sing  ivy; 
My  father  left  me  three 

acres  of  land, 
Sing  holly    go    whistle 
and  ivy! 


I  harrowed  it  with  a  bram-  I  got  the  mice  to  carry  it 

ble  bush,  to  the  barn, 

Sing  ivy,  sing  ivy;  Sing  ivy,  sing  ivy; 

And  reaped  it  with    my  And  thrashed  it    with  a 

little  penknife,  goose's  quill, 

Sing  holly,   go  whistle,  Sing  holly,  go  whistle, 

and  ivy  1  and  ivy  1 


I  got  the  cat  to  carry  it  to  the  mill, 

Sing  ivy,  sing  ivy  ; 

The  miller  he  swore  he  would  have  her  paw, 
And  the  cat  she  swore  she  would  scratch  his  face, 

Sing  holly,  go  whistle,  and  ivy  I 


WOOLEY  FOSTER  has  gone  to  sea, 
With  silver  buckles  at  his  knee, 
When  he  comes  back  he'll  marry  me, 
Bonny  Wooley  Foster  1 


110 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


Wooley  Foster  has  a  cow,      Wooley  Foster  has  a  hen, 


Black  and  white   about 
the  mow, 


Cockle    button,     cockle 
hen, 


Open  the  gates  and  let  her     She  lays  eggs  for  gentle- 


through, 

Wooley  Foster's  ain 
cow  ! 


men, 

But    none    for    Wooley 
Foster  ! 


Elsie  Marley  is  said  to  have  been  a  merry  ale-wife  who  lived  near 
Chester,  England,  and  the  remainder  of  this  song  relating  to  her  will  be 
found  in  the  "Chester  Garland."  The  first  iour  lines  have  become 
favorites  in  the  nursery. 

ELSIE  MARLEY  is  grown  so  fine 
She  wont  get  up  to  serve   the 

swine, 
But   lies  in   bed    till   eight   or 

nine, 
And  surely   she  does  take  her 

time. 
And  do  you  ken  Elsie  Marley, 

honey  ? 
The  wife  who  sells  the  barley, 

honey; 
She  won't  get  up  to  serve  her 

swine, 
And  do  you  ken  Elsie  Marley, 

honey  ? 


SONGS. 


Ill 


THE  north  wind  doth  blow, 
And  we  shall  have  snow, 
And  what  will  poor  Robin 
do  then  ? 

Poor  thing! 

He'll  sit  in  a  barn, 
And  to  keep  himself  warm, 
Will  hide  his  head  under  his  wing, 
Poor  thing! 


JOHN  COOK  had  a  little  grey  mare;  he  haw,  hum  ! 
Her  back  stood  up,  and  her  bones  they  were  bare;    he 
haw  hum ! 

John  Cook  was  riding  up  Shuter's  bank;  he  haw,  hum! 
And  there  his  nag  did  kick  and  prank;  he,  haw  hum! 

John  Cook  was  riding  up  Shuter's  hill ;  he  haw,  hum ! 
His  mare  fell  down,  and  she  made  her  will;   he,  haw, 
hum! 

The  bridle  and  saddle  were  laid  on  the  shelf;  he,   haw, 

hum! 
If  you  want  any  more  you  must  sing  it  yourself;  he, 

haw,  hum! 


112 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


Hot-cross  Buns! 

Hot-cross  Buns! 

One  a  penny,  two  a  penny. 

Hot-cross  Bunsl 


SONGS. 


113 


Hot-cross  Buns! 
Hot-cross  Buns! 
If  ye  have  no  daughters 

Give  them  to  your  sons. 


The  following  lines  are  part  of  an  old  song,  the  whole  of  which  may 
be  found  in  "  Deuteromelia, "  1609,  and  also  in  MS.  Additional,  5336, 
fbl.5. 

OF  all  the  gay  birds 

that  e'r  I  did  see, 
The  owl  is  the  fair- 
est by  far  to  me ; 
For  all  the  day  long 

she  sits  on  a  tree, 
And  when  the  night 
comes   away   flies 

she, 

Te-wit,  te-whou, 
Sir  knave  to  thou, 

This  song  is  well  sung,  I  make  you  a  vow, 
And  he  is  a  knave  that  drinketh  not  now. 


SING    song!      merry    go 

round, 
Here  we  go  up  to  the 

moon,  oh, 
Little  Johnnie  a  penny  has 

found, 
And  so  we'll  sing  a  tune, 

oh! 

What  shall  I  buy  ? 

Johnnie  did  cry, 
With  the  penny  I,  ve  found 
So  bright  and  round  ? 


What  shall  you  buy  ? 

A  kite  that  will  fly 

Up     to    the     moon,     all 

through  the  sky! 
But  if,  when  it  gets  there, 
It  should  stay  in  the  air. 
Or  the  man  in  the  moon 
Should  open  the  door, 
And  take  it  in  with  his 

long,  long  paw, — 
We  should  sing  to  another 

tune,  oh  I 


114 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


The  music  to  the  following  song,  with  different  words,  is  given  in 
«'Melismata,"4to,  Lond.  1611.  See  also  the  "Pills  to  Purge  Melan- 
choly," 1719,  vol.  i.,  p.  14.  The  well-known  song,  "A  Frog  he  would 
a-wooing  go,"  appears  to  have  been  borrowed  from  this.  See  Dauney's 
"Ancient  Scottish  Melodies,"  1838,  p.  53.  The  story  is  of  old  date, 
and  in  1580  there  was  licensed  "  A  most  strange  weddinge  ot  the  frogge 
and  the  mouse,"  as  appears  from  the  books  of  the  Stationers'  Company 
quoted  in  Warton's  Hist.  Engl.  Poet.,  ed.  1840,  vol.  iii,  p.  360. 


THERE  was  a  frog  lived  in     Cock  me  carry,  Kitty  alone, 


a  well, 

Kitty  alone,  Kitty  alone; 
There  was  a  frog  lived  in  a 

well; 
Kitty  alone  and  I ! 

There  was  a  frog  lived  in 

a  well ; 
And  a  farce*  mouse  in  a 

mill, 


Kitty  alone  and  I. 

This  frog  he  would  a-woo- 
ing ride, 
Kitty  alone,  &c. 
This  frog  he  would  a-woo- 
ing ride, 
And    on   a   snail    he    got 

astride, 
Cock  me  carry,  &c. 


'Merry. 


SONGS. 


115 


He  rode  till  he  came  to 

my  Lady  Mouse  Hall, 

Kitty  alone,  &c. 

He    rode  till  he   came   to 

my  Lady  Mouse  Hall, 

And    there    he    did  both 

knock  and  call, 
Cock  me  carry,  &c. 

Quoth  he,    "Miss  Mouse, 
I'm  come  to  thee," — 
Kitty  alone,  &c. 
Quoth  he,   "Miss    Mouse, 

I'm  come  to  thee, 
To  see  if  thou  canst  fancy 

me." 
Cock  me  carry,  &c. 

Quoth  she,  "Answer 
I'll      give     you 
none" — 
Kitty  alone,  &c. 
Quoth  she,    "Answer  I'll 

give  you  none 
Until  my  Uncle  Rat  come 

home." 
Cock  me  carry,  &c. 


And  when  her  Uncle  Rat 

came  home, 
Kitty  alone,  &c. 
And  when  her  Uncle  Rat 

came  home: 
"Who's  been  here  since 

I've  been  gone  ? " 
Cock  me  carry,  &c. 

1 '  Sir  there's  been  a  worthy 

gentleman  " — 
Kitty  alone,  &c. 
"Sir  there'sbeen  a  worthy 

gentleman — 
That's   been    here    since 

you've  been  gone. " 
Cock  me  carry,  &c. 

The  frog  he  came  whistling 

through  the  brook, 

Kitty  alone,  &c. 

The  frog  he  came  whist- 

ling  through   the 

brook, 
And  there  he  met  with 

a  dainty  duck. 
Cock  me  carry,  &c. 


This  duck  she  swallowed  him  up  with  a  pluck, 

Kitty  alone,  Kitty  alone ; 

This  duck  she  swallowed  him  up  with  a  pluck 
So  there's  an  end  of  my  history-book. 

Cock  me  carry,  Kitty  alone, 

Kitty  alone  and  I. 


116 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


Part  of  this  is  in  a  song  called  "Jockey's  Lamentation,"  in  the  "Pills 
to  Purge  Melancholy,"  1719,  vol.  v,  p.  317. 

TOM  he  was  a  piper's  son, 
He  learned  to  play  when  he  was  young, 
But  all  the  tunes  that  he  could  play, 
Was  "  Over  the  hills  and  far  away," 
Over  the  hills  and  a  great  way  off, 
And  the  wind  will  blow  my  top- knot  off. 

Now,  Tom  with  his  pipe  made  such  a  noise, 
That  he  pleased  both  the  girls  and  boys, 
And  they  stopped  to  hear  him  play 
"  Over  the  hills  and  far  away." 


SONGS. 


117 


Tom  with  his  pipe  did  play  with  such  skill, 
That  those  who  heard  him  could  never  keep  still; 
Whenever  they  heard  they  began  for  to  dance, — 
Even  pigs  on  their  hind  legs  would  after  him  prance. 


As  Dolly  was  milking-  her  cow  one  day, 

Tom  took  out  his  pipe  and  began  for  to  play; 

So  Doll  and  the  cow  danced  "the  Cheshire  round, H 

Till  the  pail  was  broke,  and  the  milk  ran  on  the  ground. 

He  met  old  Dame  Trot  with  a  basket  of  eggs, 
He  used  his  pipe  and  she  used  her  legs; 
She  danced  about  till  the  eggs  were  all  broke, 
She  began  for  to  fret,  but  he  laughed  at  the  joke. 

He  saw  a  cross  fellow  was  beating  an  ass, 
Heavy  laden  with  pots,  pans,  dishes  and  glass; 


118 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


He  took  out  his  pipe  and  played  them  a  tune, 
And  the  jackass's  load  was  lightened  full  soon. 


MERRY  are  the  bells,  and  merry  would  they  ring, 
Merry  was  myself,  and  merry  could  I  sing; 
With  a  merry  ding-dong,  happy,  gay,  and  free, 
And  a  merry  sing-song,  happy  let  us  be! 

Waddle  goes  your  gait,  and  hollow  are  your  hose, 
Noddle  goes  your  pate,  and  purple  is  your  nose; 
Merry  is  your  sing-song,  happy,  gay,  and  free, 
With  a  merry  ding-dong,  happy  let  us  be ! 

Merry  have  we  met,  and  merry  have  we  been, 
Merry  let  us  part,  and  merry  meet  again; 
With  our  merry  sing-song,  happy,  gay,  and  free, 
And  a  merry  ding-dong,  happy  let  us  be! 


SONGS. 


119 


WHAT  is  your  father,  my  pretty  maid  ? 
My  father's  a  farmer,  sir,  she  said 
Say,  will  you  marry  me,  my  pretty  maid  ? 
Yes,  if  you  please,  kind  sir,  she  said. 

Will  you  be  constant,  my  pretty  maid  ? 
That  I  can't  promise  you,  sir,  she  said. 
Then  I  won't  marry  you,  my  pretty  maid; 
Nobody  asked  you  sir !  she  said. 


120  NUESEB  Y  RHYMES. 


A  CARRION  crow  sat  on  an  oak, 

Fol  de  riddle,  lol  de  riddle,  hi  ding  do, 

Watching  a  tailor  shape  his  cloak. 
Sing  heigh  ho,  the  carrion  crow, 
Fol  de  riddle,  lol  de  riddle,  hi  ding  do. 


SONGS. 


121 


Wife,  bring  me  my  old  bent  bow, 

Fol  de  riddle,  lol  de  riddle,  hi  ding  do, 
That  I  may  shoot  yon  carrion  crow. 

Sing  heigh  ho,  &c. 
The  tailor  he  shot  and  missed  his  mark, 

Fol  de  riddle,  lol  de  riddle,  hi  ding  do, 
And  shot  his  own  sow  quite  to  the  heart; 

Sing  heigh  ho,  &c. 
Wife,  bring  brandy  in  a  spoon; 

Fol  de  riddle,  lol  de  riddle,  hi  ding  do, 
For  our  old  sow  is  in  a  swoon, 

Sing  heigh  ho,  the  carrion  crow, 

Fol  de  riddle,  lol  de  riddle,  di  ding  do. 

Another  version  from  MS.  Sloane,  1489,  fol.  17,  written  in  the  time 
of  Charles  I. 

Hie  hoc,  the  carrion  crow, 

For  I  have  shot  something  too  low; 

I  have  quite  missed  my  mark, 

And  shot  the  poor  sow  to  the  heart; 

Wife,  bring  treacle  in  a  spoon, 

Or  else  the  poor  sow's  heart  will  down. 


THERE  were  two  birds 

sat  on  a  stone, 
Fa,  la,  la,  la,  lal,  de; 
One  flew  away,  and 

then  there  was  one, 
Fa,  la,  la,  la,  lal,  de; 


The  other  flew  after,  and 

then  there  was  none, 
Fa,  la,  la,  la,  lal  de; 
And  so  the  poor  stone 

was  left  all  alone, 
Fa,  la,  la,  la,  lal,  de! 


122 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


Of  these  two  birds  one  Said  one  to  the  other, 

back  again  flew,  ' '  Pray  how  do  you  do  ?  " 

Fa,  la,  la,  la,  lal,  de;  Fa,  la,  la,  la,  lal,  de; 

The  other  came  after,  "Very  well,  thank  you, 

and  then  there  were  two,  and  pray  how  do  you  ? " 

Fa,  la,  la,  la,  lal,  de;  Fa,  la,  la,  la,  lal,  de! 


[Song  of  a  little  boy  while  passing 
AWAY,  birds,  away, 
Take  a  little,  and  leave 

a  little, 
And  do  not  come  again ; 

THERE  were  three  jovial 

huntsmen, 
As  I  have  heard  them 

say, 
And    they   would    go    a- 

hunting 
All  on  a  summer's  day. 

All  the  day  they  hunted, 
And  nothing  could  they 
find 

But  a  ship  a-sailing, 
A-sailing  with  the  wind. 

One  said  it  was  a  ship, 
The  other  said  Nay; 


his  hour  of  solitude  in  a  cornfield.] 

For  if  you  do, 

I  will  shoot  you  through, 

And  there  is  an  end 

of  you. 

The   third   said  it  was  a 

house 

With  the  chimney  blown 
away. 

And  all   the    night    they 

hunted, 
And  nothing  could  they 

find; 
But  the  moon  a-gliding, 

A-gliding  with  the  wind. 
One  said  it  was  the  moon, 

The  other  said  Nay; 
The  third  said  it  was  a 

cheese, 
And  half  o't  cut  away. 


SONGS. 


123 


DAME,  get  up  and  bake  your  pies, 
Bake  your  pies,  bake  your  pies, 

Dame,  get  up  and  bake  your  pies 
On  Christmas  Day  in  the  morning. 

Dame,  what  makes  your  maidens  lie, 

Maidens  lie,  maidens  lie, 
Dame,  what  makes  your  maidens  lie 

On  Christmas  Day  in  the  morning  ? 

Dame,  what  makes  your  ducks  to  die, 
Ducks  to  die,  ducks  to  die, 

Dame,  what  makes  your  ducks  to  die 
On  Christmas  day  in  the  morning. 


How  does  my 
lady's  garden 

grow? 

How  does  my 
lady's  garden 

grow? 

With  cockle- 
shells and 
silver  bells, 
'And  pretty 
maids  all 
of  a  row. 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


A  FROG  he  would  a-wooing  go, 

Heigho,  says  Rowley, 
Whether  his  mother  would  let  him  or  no. 

With  a  rowley  powley,  gammon  and  spinach, 

Heigho,  says  Anthony  Rowley. 

So  off  he  set  with  his  opera  hat, 

Heigho,  says  Rowley. 

And  on  the  road  he  met  with  a  rat. 

With  a  rowley,  powley,  &c. 


SONGS. 


125 


126 NURSERY  RHYMES. 

"Pray,  Mr.  Rat,  will  you  go  with  me, 

Heigho,  says  Rowley, 

Kind  Mrs.  Mousey  for  to  see  ? " 

With  a  rowley  powley,  &cx 

When  they  came  to  the  door  of  Mousey's  hall, 

Heigho,  says  Rowley, 

They  gave  a  loud  knock  and  they  gave  a  loud  call. 

With  a  rowley  powley,  &c. 

"Pray,  Mrs.  Mouse,  are  you  within ?" 

Heigho,  says  Rowley, 

"Oh,  yes,  kind  sirs,  I'm  sitting  to  spin." 

With  a  rowley  powley,  &c. 

"Pray,  Mrs.  Mouse,  will  you  give  us  some  beer? 

Heigho,  says  Rowley, 
For  Froggy  and  I  are  fond  of  good  cheer. " 

With  a  rowley  powley,  &c. 

"Pray,  Mr.  Frog,  will  you  give  us  a  song  ? 

Heigho,  says  Rowley, 
But  let  it  be  something  that's  not  very  long. " 

With  a  rowley  powley,  &c. 

"Indeed,  Mrs.  Mouse, "  replied  the  frog, 

Heigho,  says  Rowley, 

"A  cold  has  made  me  as  hoarse  as  a  dog." 

With  a  rowley  powley,  &c. 

'Since  you  have  caught  cold,  Mr.  Frog,"  Mousey  said, 

Heigho,  says  Rowley, 
"I'll  sing  you  a  song  that  I  have  just  made. " 

With  a  rowley  powley,  &c,, 

But  while  they  were  all  a  merry-making, 

Heigho,  says  Rowley, 

A  cat  and  her  kittens  came  tumbling  in 

With  a  rowley  powley,  &c. 


SONGS.  127 


The  cat  she  seized  the  rat  by  the  crown; 

Heigh o,  says  Rowley. 
The  kittens  they  pulled  the  little  mouse  down. 

With  a  rowley  powley,  &c. 

This  put  Mr.  Prog  in  a  terrible  fright, 

Heigho,  says  Rowley, 

He  took  up  his  hat,  and  he  wished  them  good  night. 

With  a  rowley  powley,  &c. 

But  as  Froggy  was  crossing  over  a  brook, 

Heigho,  says  Rowley, 

A  lily-white  duck  came  and  gobbled  him  up. 

With  a  rowley  powley,  &c. 

So  there  was  an  end  of  one,  two,  and  three, 

Heigho,  says  Rowley, 
The  Rat,  the  Mouse,  and  the  little  Frog- gee! 

With  a  rowley  powley,  gammon  and  spinach 

Heigho,  says  Anthony  Rowley. 


128 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


WHISTLE,  daughter,  whistle;  whistle,  daughter,  dear. 
I  cannot  whistle,  mamma,  I  cannot  whistle  clear. 
Whistle,  daughter,  whistle;  whistle  for  a  pound. 
I  cannot  whistle,  mammy,  I  cannot  make  a  sound. 


Song  on  the  bells  of  Derby,  England,  on  foot-ball  morning,  a  custom 
now  discontinued. 

PANCAKES  and  fritters, 
Say  All  Saints  and  St. 

Peters; 

When  will  the  BALL  come  ? 
Say  the  bells  of  St  Alk- 
mun; 


At  two  they  will  throw, 
Says  Saint  Werabo, 
Oh,  very  well, 
Says  little  Michel. 


I'LL  sing  you  a  song, 
Though  not  very  long, 
Yet  I  think  it  as  pretty  as 
any; 


Put  your  hand  in  your 

purse, 

You'll  never  be  worse, 
And  give  the  poor  singer 

a  penny. 


SONGS. 


THE  miller  he  grinds  his  corn,  his  corn; 
The  miller  he  grinds  his  corn,  his  corn; 
The  little  boy  blue  comes  winding  his  horn, 

With  a  hop,  step,  and  a  jump. 
The  carter  he  whistles  aside  his  team ; 
The  carter  he  whistles  aside  his  team ; 
And  Dolly  comes  tripping  with  the  nice  clouted  cream, 

With  a  hop,  step,  and  a  jump. 
The  nightingale  sings  when  we're  at  rest; 
The  nightingale  sings  when  we're  at  rest; 
The  little  bird  climbs  the  tree  for  his  nest, 

With  a  hop,  step,  and  a  jump. 

The  damsels  are  churning  for  curds  and  whey; 
The  damsels  are  churning  for  curds  and  whey: 
The  lads  in  the  field  are  making  the  hay, 
With  a  hop,  step,  and  a  jump. 

THERE  was  a  man  in  our  toone,  in  our  toone,  in  our  toone, 
There  was  a  man  in  our  toone,  and  his  name  was  Billy 

Pod; 
And  he  played  upon  an  old  razor,  an  old  razor,  an  old 

razor, 
And  he  played  upon  an  old  razor,  with  my  fiddle  fiddle 

fe  fum  fo. 

And  his  hat  it  was  made  of  the  good  roast  beef,  the 
good  roast  beef,  the  good  roast  beef, 

And  his  hat  was  made  of  the  good  roast  beef,  and  his 
name  was  Billy  Pod; 

And  he  played  upon  an  old  razor,  <S^c. 

And  his  coat  it  was  made  of  the/good  fat  tripe,  the 
good  fat  tripe,  the  good  fat  tripe, 

And  his  coat  it  was  made  of  the  good  fat  tripe,  and  hi# 
name  was  Billy  Pod; 

And  he  played  upon  an  old  razor,  &c. 


130 NURSERY  RHYMES. 

And  his  breeks  were  made  of  the  bawbie  baps,  the 

bawbie  baps,  the  bawbie  baps, 
And  his  breeks  were  made  of  the  bawbie  baps,  and  his 

name  was  Billy  Pod; 
And  he  played  upon  an  old  razor,  &c. 

And  there  was  a  man  in  tither  toone,  in  tither  toone,  in 

tither  toone, 
And  there  was  a  man  in  tither  toone,  and  his  name  was 

Edrin  Drum ; 
And  he  played  upon  an  old  laadle,  an  old  laadle,  an  old 

laadle, 
And  he  played  upon  an  old  laadle,  with  my  fiddle  fiddle 

f  e  f  um  f  o. 

And  he  ate  up  all  the  good  roast  beef,  the  good  roast 

beef,  &c. 
And  he  ate  up  all  the  good  fat  tripe,  the  good  fat 

tripe,  &c. 
And  he  ate  up  all  the  bawbie  baps,  &c.,  and  his  name 

was  Edrin  Drum. 


I  SAW  three  ships  come  sailing  by, 

Come  sailing  by,  come  sailing  by — 

I  saw  three  ships  come  sailing  by, 
New  Year's  Day  in  the  morning. 

And  what  do  you  think  was  in  them  then, 
Was  in  them  then,  was  in  them  then  ? 

And  what  do  you  think  was  in  them  then  ? 
New  Year's  Day  in  the  morning. 

Three  pretty  girls  were  in  them  then, 

Were  in  them  then,  were  in  them  then — 

Three  pretty  girls  were  in  them  then, 
New  Year's  Day  in  the  morning. 

One  could  whistle,  and  another  could  sing, 
And  the  other  could  play  on  the  violin — 


SONGS.  131 


Such  joy  was  there  at  my  wedding, 
New  Year's  Day  in  the  morning. 


OH,  who  is  so  merry,  so 

merry,  heigh  ho ! 
As  the  light-hearted  fairy, 

heigh  ho,  heigh  ho ! 
He  dances  and  sings 
To  the  sound  of  his 

wings, 

With  a  hey,  and  a  heigh, 
and  a  ho ! 

Oh,  who  is  so  merry,  so 

airy,  heigh  ho ! 
As  the  light-headed  fairy, 

heigh  ho,  heigh  ho ! 
His  nectar  he  sips 
From  the  primrose's  lips, 
With  a  hey,  and  a  heigh, 
and  a  ho ! 

Oh,  who  is  so  merry,  so  merry,  heigh  "no! 
As  the  light-footed  fairy,  heigh  ho,  heigh  ho ! 

His  night  is  the  noon, 

And  his  sun  is  the  moon, 
With  a  hey,  and  a  heigh,  and  a  ho ! 


132 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


As  I  was  going  to  Derby  all  on  a  market-day, 

I  met  the  finest  ram,  sir,  that  ever  was  fed  upon  hay; 

Upon  hay,  upon  hay,  upon  hay; 
I  met  the  finest  ram,  sir,  that  ever  was  fed  upon  hay. 

This  ram  was  fat  behind,  sir;  this  ram  was  fat  before; 
This  ram  was  ten  yards  round,  sir ;  indeedhe  wasnomore. 

No  more,  no  more,  no  more ; 
This  ram  was  ten  yards  round,  sir;  indeedhe  wasnomore. 

The  horns  that  grew  on  his  head,  sir,  they  were  so 

wondrous  high, 
As  I've  been  plainly  told,  sir,  they  reached  up  to  the  sky. 

The  sky,  the  sky,  the  sky; 
As  I've  been  plainly  told,  sir,  they  reached  up  to  the  sky. 

The  tail  that  grew  from  his  back,  sir,  was  six  yards  and 

an  ell; 
And  it  was  sent  to  Derby  to  toll  the  market  bell; 

The  bell,  the  bell,  the  bell; 
And  it  was  sent  to  Derby  to  toll  the  market  bell. 


I  WILL  sing  you  a  song, 
Though  it  is  not  very  long, 
Of  the  woodcock  and  the  sparrow, 
Of  the  little  dog  that  burned  his 

tail, 

And  the  boy  that  must  be  whipt 
to-morrow. 


SEVENTH   CLASS. 

Riddles. 


THERE  was  a  girl  in  our  towne, 

Silk  an'  satin  was  her  gowne, 

Silk  an'  satin,  gold  an'  velvet, 

Guess  her  name — three  times  I've  tell'd  it.       Ann. 

[133] 


134  NURSEEY  RHYMES. 


RIDDLE-ME,  riddle-me,  riddle-me-ree, 
Perhaps  you  can  tell  what  this  riddle  may  be: 
As  deep  as  a  house,  as  round  as  a  cup, 
And  all  the  King's  horses  can't  draw  it  up. 

A  well. 

I  WENT  to  the  wood  and  got  it, 

I  sat  me  down  and  looked  at  it; 

The  more  I  looked  at  it  the  less  I  liked  it, 

And  brought  it  home  because  I  couldn't  help  it. 

A  thorn. 


I'M  in  every  one's  way,  My  four  horns  every  day 

But  no  one  I  stop;  In  every  way  play, 

And  my  head  is  nailed  on  at  the  top. 

A  turnstile. 

THE  cuckoo  and  the  gowk, 
The  laverock  and  the  lark, 
The  twire-snipe,  the  weather-bleak, 
How  many  birds  is  that  ? 
Three,  for  the  second  name  in  each  line  is  a  synonym. 

[The  cuckoo  is  called  a  gowk  in  the  north  of  England;  the  lark,  a 
laverock ;  and  the  twire-snipe  and  weather-bleak,  or  weather-bleater, 
are  the  same  birds.] 


RIDDLES.  135 


HODDY-DODDY, 

With  a  round  black  body; 

Three  feet  and  a  wooden  hat: 

What's  that  ?  An  iron  pot. 

An  iron  pot  with  three  legs,  and  a  wooden  cover,  the  latter  raised  or 
put  on  by  means  of  a  peg  at  the  top,  is  used  for  suspending  over  a  fire, 
or  to  place  on  the  hearth  with  a  wood  fire. 


THE  fiddler  and  his  wife, 

The  piper  and  his  mother, 
Ate  three  half  cakes,  three  whole  cakes, 

And  three  quarters  of  another: 
How  much  did  each  get  ? 

The  fiddler's  wife  was  the  piper's  mother.    Each  one 
therefore  got  £  +  i  +  £  or  i|. 


RIDDLE  me,  riddle  me,  what  is  that, 
Over  the  head  and  under  the  hat  ?  Hair. 

[From  Kent.] 


THERE  was  a  little  green  ho  use 
And  in  the  little  green  house 
There  was  a  little  brown  house, 
And  in  the  little  brown  house 
There  was  a  little  yellow  house, 
And  in  the  little  yellow  house 
There  was  a  little  white  house, 
And  in  the  little  white  house 
There  was  a  little  heart. 

A  walnut. 

A  FLOCK  of  white  sheep       Here  they  go,  there  they  go, 
On  a  red  hill ;  Now  they  stand  still ! 

The  teeth  and  gums. 

As  I  was  going  o'er  London  Bridge, 
I  met  a  cart  full  of  fingers  and  thumbs ! 

Gloves. 


136 NURSERY  EHTMES. 

LIVES  in  winter,       Dies  in  summer, 
And  grows  with  its  root  upwards ! 

An  icicle. 

OLD  father  Greybeard,        If  you'll  give  me  your  finger, 
Without  tooth  or  tongue,      I'll  give  you  my  thumb. 

WHEN  I  went  up  sandy  hill, 

I  met  a  sandy  boy; 
I  cut  his  throat,  I  sucked  his  blood, 

And  left  his  skin  a-hanging-o. 

As  I  was  going  o'er  London  Bridge, 

And  peeped  through  a  nick, 
I  saw  four-and-twenty  ladies 

Riding  on  a  stick ! 

A  firebrand  with  sparks  on  it 


I  HAVE  a  little  sister,  they  call  her  peep,  peep; 
She  wades  the  waters  deep,  deep,  deep; 
She  climbs  the  mountains  high,  high,  high ; 
Poor  little  creature !  she  has  but  one  eye. 

A  star. 

HICK-A-MORE,  Hack-a-more, 

On  the  King's  kitchen- door; 

All  the  King's  horses, 

And  all  the  King's  men, 

Couldn't  drive  Hick-a-more,  Hack-a-more, 

Off  the  King's  kitchen-door! 

Sunshine. 

OLD  Mother  Twitchett  had  but  one  eye, 
And  a  long  tail  which  she  let  fly; 
And  every  time  she  went  over  a  gap, 
She  left  a  bit  of  her  tail  in  a  trap. 

A  needle  and  thread. 


EIDDLES. 


137 


WHAT  shoemaker  makes  shoes  without  leather, 
With  all  the  four  elements  put  together  ? 

Fire  and  water,  earth  and  air; 

Every  customer  has  two  pair. 

A  horse-shoer. 


133 NURSERY  RHYMES. 

I  WENT  into  my  grandmother's  garden, 
And  there  I  found  a  farthing. 
I  went  into  my  next-door  neighbor's, 
There  I  bought  a  pipkin  and  a  popkin, 

A  slipkin  and  a  slopkin, 

A  nailboard,  a  sailboard, 

And  all  for  a  farthing.  A  pipe. 


MADE  in  London,  Stops  a  bottle, 

Sold  at  York,  And  is  a  cork. 


The  allusion  to  Oliver  Cromwell  satisfactorily  fixes  the  date  of  the  riddle 
to  belong  to  the  seventeenth  century.     The  answer  is,  a  rainbow. 

PURPLE,  yellow,  red,  and  green, 
The  King  cannot  reach  it,  nor  the  Queen; 
Nor  can  old  Noll,  whose  power's  so  great: 
Tell  me  this  riddle  while  I  count  eight. 


HIGGEDLY  piggeldy 

Here  we  lie, 
Picked  and  plucked, 
And  put  in  a  pie. 

My  first  is  snapping,  snarling,  growl- 
ing* 

My  second's  industrious,  romping,  and 
prowling. 

Higgeldy  piggeldy 

Here  we  lie, 
Picked  and  plucked, 
And  put  in  a  pie.        Currants. 


As  I  looked  out  of  my  chamber  window 

I  heard  something  fall; 
I  sent  my  maid  to  pick  it  up, 

But  she  couldn't  pick  it  all.  Snuff. 


EIDDLES.  139 


HUMPTY  DUMPTY  sat  on  a  wall, 
Humpty  Dumpty  had  a  great  fall, 
Threescore  men  and  threescore  more 
Cannot  place  Humpty  Dumpty  as  he  was  before. 

An  Egg. 


140 NURSERY  RHYMES. 

BLACK  we  are,  but  much 
admired ; 

Men  seek  for  us  till  they  are 
tired. 

We  tie  the  horse,  but  com- 
fort man: 

Tell  me  this  riddle  if  you 
can.  Coal 


THOMAS    A    TATTAMUS   took 

two  Ts 
To   tie  two  tups  to  two  tall 

trees, 
To  frighten  the    terrible 

Thomas  a  Tattamus! 
Tell  me  how  many  Ts  there 

are  in  all  THAT  ? 


WHEN  I  was  taken  from  the  fair  body, 
They  then  cut  off  my  head, 
And  thus  my  shape  was  altered. 
It's  I  that  make  peace  between  King  and  King, 

And  many  a  true  lover  glad : 
All  this  I  do,  and  ten  times  more, 

And  more  I  could  do  still  ; 
But  nothing  can  I  do 

Without  my  guider's  will.  A  pen. 

ARTHUR  O'BowER  has  broken  his  band; 
He  comes  roaring  up  the  land. 
The  King  of  Scots  with  all  his  power, 
Cannot  turn  Arthur  of  the  Bower ! 

A  storm  of  wind. 

THE  calf,  the  goose,  the  bee, 
The  world  is  ruled  by  these  three. 

Parchment,  pens,  and  wax. 


BIDDLES.  141 


TWELVE     pears     hanging     Each  knight   took   a 

high,  pear, 

Twelve  knights  riding  by;     And  yet  left  eleven  there  ! 


WHAT  GOD  never  sees,  What  we  may  every  day: 

What    the    King    seldom      Read  my  riddle,  I  pray, 
sees,  An  Equal. 

THE  land  was  white,  It'll  take  a  good   scholar 

The  seed  was  black;        To  riddle  me  that 

Paper  and  writing. 

As  high  as  a  castle,  And  all  the  King's  horses 

As  weak  as  a  wastle;  Cannot  pull  it  down. 

Smoke. 

A  wastle  is  a  North  of  England  term  for  a  twig  or  withy,  possibly  con- 
nected with  A.  S.  wcedl. 

As  white  as  milk  As  red  as  blood, 

And  not  milk;  And  not  blood; 

As  green  as  grass  As  black  as  soot, 

And  not  grass,  And  not  soot ! 

A  bramble  blossom. 


A  young  man  and  a  young  woman  quarrelled,  and  the  former,  in  his 
anger,  exclaimed, 

Three  words  I  know  to  be  true, 
All  which  begin  with  W. 

The  young  woman  immediately  guessed  the  enigma,  and  replied  in  a 
similiar  strain, 

I  too  know  them, 

And  eke  three  which  begin  with  M. 

Woman  Wants  Wit.     Man  Much  More. 


142 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


BANKS  full,  braes  full, 

Though  ye  gather  all  day, 
Ye'll  not  gather  your  hands  full.  The  mist. 

From  Northumberland,  England.  —  Sometimes  thus: 

A  hill  full,  a  hole  full, 
Ye  cannot  catch  a  bowlful. 


IN  marble  walls  as  white  as  milk, 

Lined  with  a  skin  as  soft  as  silk, 

Within  a  fountain  crystal  clear 

A  golden  apple  doth  appear. 

No  doors  there  are  to  this  stronghold, 

Yet  thieves  break  in  and  steal  the  gold. 


I'VE  seen  you  where  you  never  was, 

And  where  you  ne'er  will  be, 
And  yet  you  in  that  very  same  place 

May  still  be  seen  by  me. 
The  reflection  of  a  face  in  a  looking-glass. 


MAKE  three-fourths  of   a 

cross, 

And  a  circle  complete; 
And  let  two  semicircles 

On  a  perpendicular 

meet; 


Next  add  a  triangle 

That  stands  on  two  feet; 
Next  two  semicircles, 

And  a  circle  complete. 
Tobacco. 


RIDDLES.  143 


THERE  was  a  King  met  a  King 

In  a  narrow  lane, 
Says  this  King  to  that  King, 
"Where  have  you  been?" 

"Oh!  I've  been  a-hunting 

With  my  dog  and  my  doe. " 

"Pray  lend  him  to  me, 
That  I  may  do  so," 


"  There's  the  dog,  take  the  dog." 

"What's  the  dog's  name?" 
"I've  told  you  already." 

"Pray  tell  me  again." 

FLOUR  of  England,  fruit  of  Spain, 
Met  together  in  a  shower  of  rain ; 
Put  in  a  bag  tied  round  with  a  string: 
If  you'll  tell  me  this  riddle,  I'll  give  you  a  ring. 

A  plum  pudding. 

As  I  was  going  o'er  yon  moor  of  moss, 

I  met  a  man  on  a  grey  horse; 

He  whipped  and  he  wailed; 

I  asked  him  what  he  ailed; 

He  said  he  was  going  to  his  father's  funeral, 

Who  died  seven  years  before  he  was  born ! 

His  father  was  a  dyer. 


U4 NVRSERY  RHYMER. 

As  I  was  going  o'er  London  Bridge 
I  met  a  drove  of  guinea  pigs ; 
They  were  nicked  and  they  were  nacked, 
And  they  were  all  yellow  backed. 

A  swarm  of  bees. 

Not  a  very  likely  family  to  meet  in  that  neighborhood,  at  least  now- 
adays; but  some  of  the  authors  of  these  poems  seem  to  have  been  con- 
tinually traversing  London  Bridge. 


Which  weighs  heavier —         Or  a  stone  of  feather? 
A  stone  of  lead  They  both  weigh  alike. 

LILLYLOW,  lillylow,  set  up  on  an  end, 
See  little  baby  go  out  at  town  end. 

A  candle. 

"  Lillylow  "  is  a  North  of  England  term  for  the  flame  of  a  candle.     Low 
A.S.  lig,  is  universal. 


AT  the  end  of  my  yard  there  is  a  vat, — 
Four- and- twenty  ladies  dancing  in  that; 
Some  in  green  gowns,  and  some  with  blue  hat : 
He  is  a  wise  man  who  can  tell  me  that. 

A  field  of  flax. 

THERE  was  a  man  went  over  the  Wash, 

Grizzle  grey  was  his  horse; 

Bent  was  his  saddle-bow: 

I've  told  you  his  name  three  times, 

And  yet  you  don't  know !  Gaffer  Was. 

I  AM  become  of  flesh  and  blood, 

As  other  creatures  be ; 
Yet  there's  neither  flesh  nor  blood 

Doth  remain  in  me. 
I  make  Kings  that  they  fall  out: 

I  make  them  agree; 
And  yet  there's  neither  flesh  nor  blood 

Doth  remain  in  me.  A  pen. 


RIDDLES.  145 


BLACK'M,  saut'm,  rough'm  glower'm  saw, 
Click'm,  gatt'm,  flaug'm  into  girnigaw. 

Eating  a  sloe. 

A  North  of  England   riddle,  given  by  Brockett.     "Girnigaw"  is  the 
cavity  of  the  mouth. 


INTO  my  house  came  neighbor  John, 
With  three  legs  and  a  wooden  one; 
If  one  be  taken  from  the  same, 
Then  just  five  there  will  remain. 

He  had  a  IV-legged  stool  with   him,  and 

taking  away  the  left-hand  numeral,  there 

remains  V. 


JACKATAWAD  ran  over  the  moor: 
Never  behind,  but  always  before ! 

The  ignis  fatuus,  or  Will-o'-the-wisp. 

"  Jackatawad  "  is  an  English  provincial  term  for  this  phenomenon. 


LINK  lank  on  a  bank, 
Ten  against  four.  A  milkmaid. 

Two  legs  sat  upon  three  legs, 
With  four  legs  standing  by; 
Four  then  were  drawn  by  ten: 
Read  my  riddle  ye  can't, 
However  much  ye  try. 
An  amplification  of  the  above,  the  milk- 
maid, of  course,  sitting  on  a  three- 
legged  stool. 

As  straight  as  a  maypole,       As  bent  as  a  bucker, 
As  little  as  a  pin,  And  as  round  as  a  ring. 

We  do  not  know  the  solution  of  this  riddle.  A  "bucker"  is  a  bent 
piece  of  wood  by  which  slaughtered  sheep  are  hung  up  by  their  ex- 
panded hind  legs,  before  being  cut  out. 


146 


NURSEEY  RHYMES. 


OVER  the  water, 
And  under  the  water, 
And  always  with  its  head  down. 

A  nail  in  the  bottom  of  a  ship. 


ELIZABETH,  Elspeth,  Betsy  and 

Bess, 
They  all  went  together  to  seek 

a  bird's  nest. 
They  found  a  bird's  nest  with 

five  eggs  in, 
They  all  took  one,  and  left  four 

in.         

EVERY  lady  in  this  land 

Has  twenty  nails  upon    each 

hand, 
Five  and    twenty  hands    and 

feet: 
All  this  is  true  without  deceit. 


LONG  legs,  crooked  thighs, 
Little  head,  and  no  eyes. 

Pair  of  tongs. 


A  HOUSE  full,  a  yard  full, 
-•  And  ye  can't  catch  a  bowl  full. 
Smoke. 


THIRTY  white  horses  upon  a  red  hill, 
Now  they  tramp,  now  they  champ,  now  they  stand  still. 

Teeth  and  gums. 


THE  moon  nine  days  old, 
The  next  sign  to  Cancer, 
Pat,  rat  without  a  tail; — 


And    now,    sir,    for    your 
answer. 

C-leo-pat-ra. 


tiTDDLE?.  147 


From  MS.  Sloane,  1489,  fol.  16,  written  in  the  time  of  Charles  I. 

THERE  were  three  sisters  in  a  hall, 

There  came  a  knight  amongst  them  all; 

Good  morrow,  aunt,  to  the  one, 

Good  morrow,  aunt,  to  the  other, 

Good  morrow,  gentlewoman,  to  the  third: 

If  you  were  my  aunt,  as  the  other  two  be, 

I  would  say  good  morrow,  then  aunts  all  three. 


CONGEALED  water  and  Cain's  brother, 

That  was  my  lover's  name,  and  no  other.         Isabel. 


BLACK    within    and    red     Four  corners  round  about, 
without  A  chimney. 

THERE   was  a  man  rode  through  our  town, 

Gray  Grizzle  was  his  name; 
His  saddle-bow  was  gilt  with  gold: 

Three  times  I've  named  his  name. 


PEASE-PORRIDGE    hot,    pease- porridge    cold, 
Pease-porridge  in  the  pot,  nine  days  old. 
Spell  me  that  without  a  P, 
And  a  clever  scholar  you  will  be. 

A  RIDDLE,  a  riddle,  as  I  suppose, 

A  hundred  eyes,  and  never  a  nose.      A  cinder-sifter. 

As  round  as  an  apple,  as  deep  as  a  cup, 

And  all  the  King's  horses  can't  pull  it  up.        A  well. 

As  I  went  through  the  garden  gap, 

Who  should  I  meet  but  Dick  Red-cap! 

A  stick  in  his  hand,  a  stone  in  his  throat: 

If  you'll  tell  me  this  riddle,  I'll  give  you  a  groat. 

A  cherry. 


148 NURSERY  RHYMES. 

LITTLE  Nancy  Etticoat,  The  longer  she  stands, 

In  a  white  petticoat,  The  shorter  she  grows. 

And  a  red  nose ; 

As  I  was  going  o'er  Westminster  Bridge, 
I  met  with  a  Westminster  scholar; 

He  pulled  off  his  cap  an'  drew  off  his  glove, 
And  wished  me  a  very  good  morrow 
What  is  his  name? 


THERE  was  a  man  who  had  no  eyes, 
He  went  abroad  to  view  the  skies; 
He  saw  a  tree  with  apples  on  it, 
He  took  no  apples  off,  yet  left  no  apples  on  it, 
The  man  had  one  eye,  and  the 
tree  two  apples  upon  it 


As  I  went  over  Lincoln  Bridge, 

I  met  Mister  Rusticap; 

Pins  and  needles  on  his  back, 

A  going  to  Thorney  fair.  A  hedgehog. 


FORMED  long  ago,  yet  made  to-day 

Employed  while  others  sleep; 
What  few  would  like  to  give  away, 

Nor  any  wish  to  keep.  A  bed. 


THE  first  letter  of  our  fore-fadyr, 
A  worker  of  wax, 
An  I  and  an  N; 
The  color  of  an  ass; 
And  what  have  you  then? 

A-b-in-dun,  or  Abingdon,  in  Berks,  England. 

An  ancient  rebus  given  in  Lelandi  Itin.,  ed.  1744,  ii.  136. 


RIDDLES. 


149 


HIGHER  than  a  house,  higher  than  a  tree; 

Oh,  whatever  can  that  be?  A  star. 

Two  legs  sat    upon 

three  legs, 
With  one  leg  in  his 

lap; 

In  comes  four  legs, 
And  runs  away  with 

one  leg. 

Up  jumps  two  legs, 
Catches  up  three  legs, 
Throws  it  after  four 
legs, 
And  makes  him  bring 

back  one  leg. 

One  leg  is  a  leg  of  mutton;  two  legs,  a  man;  three 
legs,  a  stool;  four  legs,  a  dog. 

As  I  was  going  to  St.  Ives, 

I  met  a  man  with  seven  wives, 

Every  wife  had  seven  sacks, 

Every  sack  had  seven  cats, 

Every  cat  had  seven  kits: 

Kits,  cats,  sacks,  and  wives, 

How  many  were  there  going  to  St.  Ives? 


SEE,  see i  what  shall  I  see? 

A  horse's  head  where  his  tail  should  be. 

HITTY  PITTY  within  the  wall, 
Hitty  Pitty  without  the  wall: 
If  you  touch  Hitty  Pitty, 
Hitty  Pitty  will  bite  you. 

MS.  Harl.  1962,  xvii.  cent 


A  nettle. 


160 NURSERY  RHYMES. 

I  SAW  a  fight  the  other  day: 

A  damsel  did  begin  the  fray. 

She  with  her  daily  friend  did  meet, 

Then  standing  in  the  open  street; 

She  gave  such  hard  and  sturdy  blows, 

He  bled  ten  gallons  at  the  nose; 

Yet  neither  seem  to  faint  nor  fall, 

Nor  gave  her  any  abuse  at  all.  A  pump. 

MS.  Harl.  1962,  xvii.  cent. 


A  WATER  there  is  I  must  pass, 

A  broader  water  never  was; 

And  yet  of  all  waters  I  ever  did  see, 

To  pass  over  with  less  jeopardy.  The  dew. 

From  the  same  MS. 


As  I  went  over  Hottery  Tottery, 
I  looked  into  Horbora  Lilly; 
I  spied  a  cutterell 
Playing  with  her  cambril, 
I  cryed,  Ho,  neighbor,  ho! 
Lend  me  your  cue  and  your  goe, 
To  shoot  at  yonder  cutterell 
Playing  with  her  cambril, 
And  you  shall  have  the  curie  of  her  loe. 
A  man  calling  to  his  neighbor  for  a  gun  to  shoot  a 
deer,  and  he  should  have  her  humbles. 


THERE  is  a  bird  of  great  renown, 

Useful  in  city  and  in  town; 

None  work  like  unto  him  can  do; 

He's  yellow,  black,  red,  and  green, 

A  very  pretty  bird  I  mean; 

Yet  he's  both  fierce  and  fell: 

I  count  him  wise  that  can  this  tell.  A  bee, 

MS.  Harl.  1962,  xvii.  cent. 


RIDDLES.  151 


I  HAVE  four  sisters  beyond  the  sea, 

Para-mara,  dictum,  domine. 
And  they  did  send  four  presents  to  me, 

Partum,  quartum,  paradise,  tempum, 

Para-mara,  dictum,  domine! 

The  first  it  was  a  bird  without  e'er  a  bone; 

Para-mara,  dictum,  &c. 
The  second  was  a  cherry  without  e'er  a  stone; 

Partum,  quartum,  &c. 

The  third  it  was  a  blanket  without  e'er  a  thread, 

Para-mara,  dictum,  &c. 
The  fourth  it  was  a  book  which  no  man  could  read, 

Partum,  quartum,  &c. 

How  can  there  be  a  bird  without  e'er  a  bone? 

Para-mara,  dictum,  &c. 
How  can  there  be  a  cherry  without  e'er  a  stone? 

Partum,  quartum,  &c. 

How  can  there  be  a  blanket  without  e'er  a  thread? 

Para-mara,  dictum,  &c. 
How  can  there  be  a  book  which  no  man  can  read? 

Partum,  quartum,  &c. 

When  the  bird's  in  the  shell,  there  is  no  bone; 

Para-mara,  dictum,  &c. 
When  the  cherry's  in  the  bud,  there  is  no  stone; 

Partum,  quartum,  &c. 

When  the  blanket's  in  the  fleece,  there  is  no  thread; 

Para-mara,  dictum,  &c. 
When  the  book's  in  the  press,  no  man  can  read; 

Partum,  quartum,  &c. 

Several  versions  of  this  metrical  riddle  are  common  in   the   north   of 
England. 


152 NURSERY  RHYMES. 

As  I  went  through  my  houter  touter, 

H outer  trouter,  verily; 
I  see  one  Mr.  Higamgige 

Come  over  the  hill  of  Parley. 
But  if  I  had  my  early  verly, 

Carly  verly  verly, 
I  would  have  bine  met  with  Higamgige 

Come  over  the  hill  of  Parley. 
A  man  going  over  a  hill,  and  a  fly  lighting  on  his  head. 


HIGHTY,  tighty,  paradighty  clothed  in  green, 

The  King  could  not  read  it,  no  more  could  the  Queen; 

They  sent  for  a  wise  man  out  of  the  East, 

Who  said  it  had  horns,  but  was  not  a  beast ! 

The  Holly  Tree. 

I  HAD  a  little  castle  upon  the  sea-sand, 
One-half  was  water,  the  other  was  land ; 
I  opened  my  little  castle  door,  and  guess  what  I  found: 
I  found  a  fair  lady  with  a  cup  in  her  hand. 
The  cup  was  gold,  filled  with  wine; 
Drink,  fair  lady,  and  thou  shalt  be  mine  I 


As  I  was  going  o'er  Tipple  Tine, 
I  met  a  flock  of  bonny  swine ; 

Some  green- lapped,  some  green-backed; 
They  were  the  very  bonniest  swine 
That  e'er  went  over  Tipple  Tine. 

A  swarm  of  bees. 

TEN  and  ten  and  twice  eleven, 
Take  out  six  and  put  in  seven; 
Go  to  the  green  and  fetch  eighteen, 
And  drop  one  a-coming. 


RIDDLES. 


153 


As  soft  as  silk,  as  white  as  milk, 
As  bitter  as  gall,  a  thick  wall, 
And  a  green  coat  covers  me  all. 


A  walnut. 


HUMPTY  DUMPTY  lay  in  a  beck* 
With  all  his  sinews  round  his  neck; 
Forty  doctors  and  forty  wrights 
Couldn't  put  Humpty  Dumpty  to  rights  1 

An  egg. 

*  A  brook. 


EIGHTH  CLASS. 

Charms. 

The  following,  with  a  very  slight  variation,  is  found  in  Ben  Jonson's 
•*  Masque  of  Queen's, "  and  it  is  singular  to  account  for  its  introduction 
feto  the  modern  nursery. 

I  WENT  to  the  toad  that  lies  under  the  wall, 

I  charmed  him  out,  and  he  came  at  my  call; 

I  scratched  out  the  eyes  of  the  owl  before, 

I  tore  the  bat's  wing:  what  would  you  have  more? 


CUSHY  cow  bonny,  let  down  thy 

milk, 
And  I  will  give  thee  a  gown  of 

silk; 
A  gown  of   silk    and  a  silver 

tee, 
If  thou  wilt  let  down  thy  milk 

to  me. 

[154] 


CHARMS.  155 


Ady,  in  his  "Candle  in  the  Dark,"  410,  Lond.  1656,  p.  59,  says  that 
this  was  a  charm  to  make  butter  come  from  the  churn.  It  was  to  be 
said  thrice. 

COME,  butter,  come,  Waiting    for    a    buttered 

Come,  butter,  come!  cake; 

Peter  stands  at  the  gate,         Come,  butter,  come ! 


From  Dr.  Wallis's  "Grammatica  Linguae  Anglicanse,"  I2mo,  Oxon. 
1674,  p.  164.  This  and  various  others  are  said  to  be  certain  cures  for 
the  hiccup  if  repeated  in  one  breath. 

WHEN  a  Twister  a- twisting,  will  twist  him  a  twist; 
For  the  twisting  of  his  twist,  he  three  times  doth  in- 

twist; 

But  if  one  of  the  twines  of  the  twist  do  untwist, 
The  twine  that  untwisteth,  unwisteth  the  twist. 

Untwirling  the  twine  that  untwisteth  between, 
He  twirls  with  the  twister,  the  two  in  a  twine : 
Then  twice  having  twisted  the  twines  of  the  twine, 
He  twisteth  the  twine  he  had  twined  in  twain. 

The  twain  that,  in  twining,  before  in  the  twine 
As  twines  were  intwisted,  he  now  doth  untwine : 
'Twixt  the  twain  intertwisting  a  twine  more  between, 
He,  twirling  his  twister,  makes  a  twist  of  the  twine. 

A  THATCHER  of  Thatchwood  went  to  Thatchet  a-thatch 
ing; 

Did  a  thatcher  of  Thatchwood  go  to  Thatchet  a-thatch- 
ing? 

If  a  thatcher  of  Thatchwood  went  to  Thatchet  a- thatch- 
ing, 

Where's  the  thatching  the  thatcher  of  Thatchwood  has 
thatched?  

Sometimes  "  off  a,  pewter  plate  "  is  added  at  the  end  of  each  line. 
PETER  PIPER  picked  a  peck  of  pickled  pepper; 
A  peck  of  pickled  pepper  Peter  Piper  picked; 
If  Peter  Piper  picked  a  peck  of  pickled  pepper, 
Where's  the  peck  of  pickled  pepper  Peter  Piper  picked? 


166  NURSER Y  RHYMES. 


SWAN  swam  over  the  sea        Swan  swam  back  again, 
Swim,  swan,  swim ;  Well  swum,  swan. 

THREE  crooked  cripples  went  through  Cripplegate,  and 
through  Cripplegate  went  three  crooked  cripples. 

ROBERT  ROWLEY  rolled  a  round  roll  round, 
A  round  roll  Robert  Rowley  rolled  round ; 
Where  rolled   the   round  roll   Robert   Rowley   rolled 
round? 

Said  to  pips  placed  in  the  fire;  a  species  of  divination  practised  by  children. 

IF  you  love  me,  pop  and  fly; 
If  you  hate  me,  lay  and  die. 

My  grandmother  sent  me  a  new-fashioned  three- 
cornered  cambric  country- cut  handkerchief.  Not  an 
old-fashioned  three-cornered  cambric  country-cut  hand- 
kerchief, but  a  new-fashioned  three-cornered  cambric 
country- cut  handkerchief. 

HICKUP,  snicup,  Three  drops  in  the  cup 

Rise  up,  right  up !  Are  good  for  the  hiccup. 

HICKUP,  hickup,  go  away! 
Come  again  another  day; 
Hickup,  hickup,  when  I  bake, 
I'll  give  to  you   a  butter- cake. 


CHARMS. 


157 


A  charm  somewhat  similar  to  the  following  may  be  seen  in  the 
"Townley  Mysteries,"  p.  91.  See  a  paper  in  the  "  Archseologia,"  vol. 
xxvii.  p.  253,  by  the  Rev.  Lancelot  Sharpe,  M.A.  See  also  MS.  Lansd. 
231,  fol.  114,  and  "Ady's  Candle  in  the  Dark,"  4to,  London,  1650,  p.  58. 

MATTHEW,    Mark,    Luke,    and    John, 
Guard  the  bed  that  I  lie  on ! 

Four  corners  to  my  bed; 

Four  angels  round  my  head, 
One  to  watch,  one  to  pray, 
And  two  to  bear  my  soul  away ! 


MY  father  he  left  me,  just  as  he  was  able, 

One  bowl,  one  bottle,  one  label, 

Two  bowls,  two  bottles,  two  labels, 

Three,  &c.  \Andso  on  ad  lib.  in  one  breath.] 


NINTH  CLASS. 

Gaffers  and  Gammers. 


THERE  was  an  old  woman,  as  I've  heard  tell, 
She  went  to  market  her  eggs  for  to  sell; 
She  went  to  market  all  on  a  market  day, 
And  she  fell  asleep  on  the  King's  highway. 

[158] 


GAFFERS  AND  GAMMERS. 


There  came  by  a  pedlar,  whose  name  was  Stout,  - 

He  cut  her  petticoats  all  round  about; 

He  cut  her  petticoats  up  to  the  knees, 

Which  made  the  old  woman  to  shiver  and  freeze. 

When  this  little  woman  first  did  wake, 

She  began  to  shiver  and  she  began  to  shake, 


160 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


She  began  to  wonder  and  she  began  to  cry, 
Oh !  deary,  deary  me,  this  is  none  of  I ! 

But  if  it  be  I,  as  I  do  hope  it  be, 

I  have  a  little  dog  at  home,  and  he'll  know  me ; 

If  it  be  I,  he'll  wag  his  little  tail, 

And  if  it  be  not  I,  he'll  loudly  bark  and  wail. " 

Home  went  the  little  woman  all  in  the  dark: 
Up  got  the  little  dog,  and  he  began  to  bark; 
He  began  to  bark,  so  she  began  to  cry, 
Oh!  deary,  deary  me,  this  is  none  of  I!" 


THERE  was  an  old  man  of  Tobago, 
Who  lived  on  rice,  gruel,  and  sago; 
Till,  much  to  his  bliss, 
His  physician  said  this — 
"  To  a  leg,  sir,  of  mutton  you  may  go. " 


GAFFERS  AND  QAMMERS. 


161 


OLD  mother  Hubbard 
Went  to  the  cupboard 

To  get  her  poor  dog  a  bone; 
But  when  she  came  there, 
The  cupboard  was  bare, 

And  so  the  poor  dog  had  none. 


162 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


She  went  to  the  baker's 
To  buy  him  some  bread, 

But  when  she  came  back 
The  poor  dog  was  dead. 

She  went  to  the  joiner's 
To  buy  him  a  coffin, 


GAFFERS  AND  GAMMERS. 


163 


But  when  she  came  back 
The  poor  dog  was  laughing.* 

She  took  a  clean  dish 
To  get  him  some  tripe, 

But  when  she  came  back 
He  was  smoking  his  pipe. 


She  went  to  the  fishmonger's 

To  buy  him  some  fish, 
And  when  she  came  back 

He  was  licking  the  dish. 

She  went  to  the  fruiterer's 

To  buy  him  some  fruit, 
But  when  she  came  back 

He  was  playing  the  flute. 

She  went  to  the  ale-house 

To  get  him  some  beer, 
But  when  she  came  back 

The  dog  sat  in  a  chair. 

*  Probably  faffing  or  loffin\  to  complete  the  rhyme.     So  in  Shakespeare's 

"  Midsummer  Night's  Dream,"  Act  II.,  sc.  I. 
''  And  then  the  whole  quire  hold  their  hips,  and  loffe" 


164 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


She  went  to  the  hatter's 
To  buy  him  a  hat, 

But  when  she  came  back 
He  was  feeding  the  cat. 

She  went  to  the  barber's 
To  buy  him  a  wig, 


But  when  she  came  back 
He  was  dancing  a  jig. 

She  went  to  the  tavern 
For  white  wine  and  red, 

But  when  she  came  back 
The  dog  stood  on  his  head. 


GAP  FEES  AND  GAMMKRS. 


165 


She  went  to  the  sempstress 
To  buy  him  some  linen, 

But  when  she  came  back 
The  dog  was  spinning. 

She  went  to  the  tailor's 
To  buy  him  a  coat, 


But  when  she  came  back 
He  was  riding  a  goat. 

She  went  to  the  cobbler's 
To  buy  him  some  shoes, 

But  when  she  came  back 
He  wasreading  the  news. 


166 


NVRSEBY  RHYMES. 


She  went  to  the 

hosier's 
To  buy  him  some 

hose, 
But  when  she  came 

back 

He  was  dressed  in 
his  clothes. 


The  dame  made  a  curtsey, 

The  dog  made  a  bow ; 
The  dame  said,  "  Your  servant;' 

The  dog  said,  "Bow,  wow." 


GAFFERS  AND  GAMMERS. 


167 


A  LITTLE  old  man  of  Derby, 
How  do  you  think  he  served  me  ? 
He  took  away  my  bread  and  cheese, 
And  that  is  how  he  served  me. 


168 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


THERE  was  an  old  woman 
Lived  under  a  hill, 

She  put  a  mouse  in  a  bag, 
And  sent  it  to  mill; 


The  miller  declared, 
By  the  point  of  his  knife, 

He  never  took  toll 
Of  a  mouse  in  his  life. 


GAFFERS  AND  GAMMERS. 


169 


following  is  part  of  a  comic  song  called  "Success  to  the  Whistle  and 
Wig,"  intended  to  be  sung  in  rotation  by  the  members  of  a  club. 

THERE  was  an  old  woman  had  three  sons, 
Jerry,  and  James,  and  John; 
Jerry  was  hung,  James  was  drowned, 
John  was  lost  and  never  was  found, 
And  there  was  an  end  of  the  three  sons, 
Jerry,  and  James,  and  John! 


OLD  Betty  Blue 
Lost  a  holiday  shoe, 
What  can  old  Betty  do  ? 


Give  her  another 
To  match  the  other, 
And  then  she  may  swagger 
in  two. 


170 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


The  tale  on  which  the  following  story  is  founded  is  found  in  a  MS.  of 
the  fifteenth  century,  preserved  in  the  Chetham  Library  at  Manchester. 

THERE  was  an  old  man  who  lived  in  a  wood, 

As  you  may  plainly  see  ; 
He  said  he  could  do  as  much  work  in  a  day, 

As  his  wife  could  do  in  three. 
"With  all  my  heart,"  the  old  woman  said; 

' '  If  that  you  will  allow, 
To-morrow  you'll  stay  at  home  in  my  stead, 

And  I'll  go  drive  the  plough; 
But  you  must  milk  the  Tidy  cow, 

For  fear  that  she  go  dry; 
And  you  must  feed  the  little  pigs 

That  are  within  the  stye; 
And  you  must  mind  the  speckled  hen, 

For  fear  she  lay  away; 
And  you  must  reel  the  spool  of  yarn 

That  I  span  yesterday. " 


The  old  woman  took  a  staff  in  her  hand, 
And  went  to  drive  the  plough ; 

The  old  man  took  a  pail  in  his  hand, 
And  went  to  milk  the  cow; 


GAFFERS  AND  GAMMERS  171 

But  Tidy  hinched,  and  Tidy  flinched, 

And  Tidy  broke  his  nose, 
And  Tidy  gave  him  such  a  blow, 

That  the  blood  ran  down  to  his  toes. 

"High!  Tidy!  ho!  Tidy!  high! 

Tidy,  do  stand  still ! 
If  ever  I  milk  you,  Tidy,  again, 

'Twill  be  sore  against  my  will. " 
He  went  to  feed  the  little  pigs, 

That  were  within  the  stye ; 
He  hit  his  head  against  the  beam 

And  he  made  the  blood  to  fly. 

He  went  to  mind  the  speckled  hen, 

For  fear  she'd  lay  astray, 
And  he  forgot  the  spool  of  yarn 

His  wife  spun  yesterday. 

So  he  swore  by  the  sun,  the  moon,  and  the  stars, 

And  the  green  leaves  on  the  tree, 
If  his  wife  didn't  do  a  day's  work  in  her  life, 

She  should  ne'er  be  ruled  by  he. 


THERE  was  an  old  woman, 

And  she  sold  puddings  and  pies- 
She  went  to  the  mill, 

And  the  dust  flew  in  her  eyes: 
"Hot  pies  and  cold  pies  to  sell!  " 

Wherever  she  goes — 
You  may  follow  her  by  the  smell. 


OH,  dear,  what  can  the  matter  be  ? 
Two  old  women  got  up  in  an  apple-tree; 

One  came  down, 
And  the  other  stayed  till  Saturday. 


172 


NURSEEY  RHYMES. 


DAME  Trot  and  her  cat 

Led  a  peaceable  life 
When  they  were  not  troubled 

With  other  folks'  strife. 

When  Dame  had  her  dinner 

Near  Pussy  would  wait, 
And  was  sure  to  receive 

A  nice  piece  from  her  plate. 


QAPFERS  AND  GAMMERS.  173 


THERE  was  an  old  man,      He  took  him  out  of  the  stall, 
And  he  had  a  calf,  And  put  him  on  the  wall; 

And  that's  half;  And  that's  all. 


FATHER  Short  came  down  the  lane, 
Oh!  I'm  obliged  to  hammer  and  smite 
From  four  in  the  morning  till  eight  at  ni'ght, 

For  a  bad  master  and  a  worse  dame. 

THERE  was  an  old  woman 

Lived  under  a  hill ; 
And  if  she's  not  gone, 

She  lives  there  still. 


174 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


THERE  was  an  old  woman  of  Norwich, 
Who  lived  upon  nothing  but  porridge; 
Parading  the  town, 
She  turned  cloak  into  gown, 
This  thrifty  old  woman  of  Norwich. 


THERE  was  an  old  woman  in  Surrey, 
"Who  was  morn,  noon,  and  night  in  a  hurry, 
Called  her  husband  a  fool, 
Drove  the  children  to  school, 
The  worrying  old  woman  of  Surrey. 


THERE  was  an  old  woman  called  Nothing-at-all, 
Who  rejoiced  in  a  dwelling  exceedingly  small; 
A  man  stretched  his  mouth  to  its  utmost  extent, 
And  down  at  one  gulp  house  and  old  woman  went. 


GAFFERS  AND  GAMMERS. 


175 


A  LITTLE  old  man  and  I  fell  out: 
How  shall  we  bring  this  matter  about  ? 
Bring  it  about  as  well  as  you  can — 
Get  you  gone,  you  little  old  man ! 


OLD  Mother  Niddity 
Nod  swore  by  the 
pudding-bag, 

She  would  go  to  Sto- 
ken  Church  Fair; 

And  then  old  Father 
Peter  said  he  would 
meet  her 

Before  she  got  half- 
way there. 


176 


NURSERY  IIHYMES. 


THERE  was  an  old  woman  tossed  up  in  a  basket, 
Nineteen  times  as  high  as  the  moon ; 

Where  she  was  going  I  couldn't  but  ask  it, 
For  in  her  hand  she  carried  a  broom. 


GAFFERS  AND  GAMMERS. 


177 


Old  woman,  old  woman,  old  woman,  quoth  I, 
O  whither,  O  whither,  O  whither  so  high  ? 

To  brush  the  cobwebs  off  the  sky ! 
Shall  I  go  with  thee  ?    Aye,  by-and-bye. 


THERE  was  an  old  man  who  lived  in  Middle  Row, 
He  had  five  hens  and  a  name  for  them,  oh ! 

Bill  and  Ned  and  Battock, 

Cut-her-foot  and  Pattock, 

Chuck,  my  Lady  Prattock, 

Go  to  thy  nest  and  lay. 

THERE  was  an  old  woman  of  Leeds 
Who  spent  all  her  time  in  good  deeds; 
She  worked  for  the  poor 
Till  her  fingers  were  sore, 
This  pious  old  woman  of  Leeds! 


TENTH   CLASS. 


COME,  my  children,  come  away, 
For  the  sun  shines  bright  to-day; 
Little  children,  come  with  me, 
Birds  and  brooks  and  posies  see; 
Get  your  hats  and  come  away, 
For  it  is  a  pleasant  day. 

Everything  is  laughing,  singing, 
All  the  pretty  flowers  are  springing; 
See  the  kitten,  full  of  fun, 
Sporting  in  the  brilliant  sun; 
Children  too  may  sport  and  play, 
For  it  is  a  pleasant  day. 

[178] 


GAMES. 


179 


Bring  the  hoop,  and  bring  the  ball, 

Come  with  happy  faces  all; 

Let  us  make  a  merry  ring, 

Talk  and  laugh,  and  dance  and  sing. 

Quickly,  quickly,  come  away, 

For  it  is  a  pleasant  day. 


Rhymes  used  by  children  to  decide  who  is  to  begin  a  game. 
ONE-ERY,  two-ery, 

Ziccary  zan ; 
Hollow  bone,  crack  a  bone, 

Ninery,  ten: 
Spittery  spot, 

It  must  be  done ; 
Twiddleum  twaddleum, 

Twenty- one. 


180 NURSERY  RHYMES. 

Hink  spink,  the  puddings  stink, 

The  fat  begins  to  fry, 
Nobody  at  home,  but  jumping  Joan, 

Father,  mother,  and  I. 
Stick,  stock,  stone  dead, 

Blind  man  can't  see, 
Every  knave  will  have  a  slave, 

You  or  I  must  be  he. 


DANCE,  Thumbkin,  dance, 

\Keep  the  thumb  in  motion. 
Dance,  ye  merrymen,  every  one ; 

[All  the  fingers  in  motion. 
For  Thumbkin,  he  can  dance  alone, 

\The  thumb  only  moving. 
Thumbkin,  he  can  dance  alone, 

[Ditto. 
Dance,  Foreman,  dance, 

[  The  first  finger  moving. 
Dance,  ye  merrymen,  every  one ; 

[  The  whole  moving. 
But  Foreman,  he  can  dance  alone, 
Foreman,  he  can  dance  alone. 

And  so  on  with  the  others — naming  the  second  finger 
"Longman,"  the  third  finger  "  Ringman, "  and  the 
fourth  finger  "Littleman."  Littleman  cannot  dance 
alone.  

The  following  is  used  by  schoolboys  when  two  are  starting  to  run  a  race. 

ONE  to  make  ready, 

And  two  to  prepare; 
Good  luck  to  the  rider, 

And  away  goes  the  mare. 


GAMES.  181 


THE   FOX. 

IN  a  children's  game,  where  all  the  little  actors  are  seated  in  a  circle, 
the  following  stanza  is  used  as  question  and  answer: 

Who  goes  round  my  house  this  night  ? 

None  but  cruel  Tom ! 
Who  steals  all  the  sheep  at  night  ? 

None  but  this  poor  one. 


ONE  child  holds  a  wand  or  pen  or  stick  to  the  face  of  another,  repeat- 
ing these  lines,  and  making  grimaces,  to  cause  the  latter  to  laugh,  and 
so  to  the  others  :  those  who  laugh  paying  a  forfeit. 

Buff  says  Buff  to  all  his  men, 

And  I  say  Buff  to  you  again; 

Buff  neither  laughs  nor  smiles, 
But  carries  his  face  with  a  very  good  grace, 
And  passes  the  stick  to  the  very  next  place ! 


QUEEN  ANNE,  Queen  Anne,  you  sit  in  the  sun, 
As  fair  as  a  lily,  as  white  as  a  wand. 
I  send  you  three  letters,  and  pray  read  one: 
You  must  read  one,  if  you  can't  read  all; 
So  pray,  Miss  or  Master,  throw  up  the  ball! 


HIGHTY  Lock  O ! 

To  London  we  go, 

To  York  we  ride; 

And  Edward  has  pussy-cat  tied  to  his  side; 
He  shall  have  little  dog  tied  to  the  other, 
And  then  he  goes  trid-trod  to  see  his  grandmother. 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


GAY  go  up  and  gay  go  down, 

To  ring  the  bells  of  London  town. 


Bulls'  eyes  and  targets, 

Say  the  bells  of  St.  Marg'ret's. 

Brickbats  and  tiles, 

Say  the  bells  of  St.  Giles'. 


GAMES. 


183 


Halfpence  and  farthings, 
Say  the  bells  of  St.  Mar- 
tin's. 


Oranges  and  lemons, 
Say  the  bells  of  St  Clem- 
ent's. 


184 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


Pancakes  and  fritters, 
Say  the  bells  of  St.  Peters. 

Two  sticks  and  an  apple, 
Say    the  bells  at  White- 
chapel. 

Old  Father  Baldpate, 
Say  the  slow  bells  at  Aid- 
gate. 

You  owe  me  ten  shillings, 
Say  the  bells  at  St.   Hel- 
en's. 

Pokers  and  tongs, 

Say  the  bells  at  St.  John's. 

Kettles  and  pans, 

Say  the  bells  of  St.  Ann's. 


When  will  you  pay  me  ? 
Say  the  bells  of  Old  Bailey. 

When  I  grow  rich, 
Say    the  bells  at    Shore- 
ditch. 

Pray  when  will  that  be  ? 
Say  the  bells  of  Stepney. 

I  am  sure  I  don't  know, 
Says  the  great  bell  at  Bow. 


GAMES.  185 


Here  comes  a  candle  to  light  you  to  bed, 

And  here  comes  a  chopper  to  chop  off  your  head. 

At  the  conclusion  the  captive  is  privately  asked  if  he 
will  have  oranges  or  lemons  (the  two  leaders  of  the 
arch  having  previously  agreed  which  designation  shall 
belong  to  each),  and  he  goes  behind  the  one  he  may 
chance  to  name.  When  all  are  thus  divided  into  two 
parties,  they  conclude  the  game  by  trying  to  pull  each 
other  beyond  a  certain  line. 

HEWLEY-PULEY. 

THE  children  are  seated  and  the  following  questions  put  by  one  of  the 
party,  holding  a  twisted  handkerchief  or  something  of  the  sort  in  the 
hand.  The  handkerchief  is  called  "hewley-puley,"  and  the  questions 
»re  asked  by  the  child  who  holds  it.  If  one  answers  wrongly,  a  box  on 
the  ear  with  the  handkerchief  is  the  consequence ;  but  if  they  all  reply 
correctly,  then  the  one  who  breaks  silence  first  has  that  punishment. 

Take  this.     What's  this  ?— Hewley-puley. 

Where's  my  share  ? — About  the  kite's  neck. 

Where's  the  kite  ? — Flown  to  the  wood. 

Where's  the  wood  ? — The  fire  has  burned  it. 

Where's  the  fire  ? — The  water  has  quenched  it. 

Where's  the  water  ? — The  ox  has  drunk  it. 

Where's  the  ox  ?— The  butcher  has  killed  it. 

Where's  the  butcher  ? — The  rope  has  hanged  him. 

Where's  the  rope  ? — The  rat  has  gnawed  it. 

Where's  the  rat  ?— The  cat  has  killed  it. 

Where's  the  cat  ? — Behind  the  church- door,  cracking 
pebble-stones  and  marrow-bones  for  yours  and  my  sup- 
per, and  the  one  who  speaks  first  shall  have  a  box  on 
the  ear. 

AWAKE,  arise,  pull  out  your  eyes, 

And  hear  what  time  of  day; 
And  when  you  have  done,  pull  out  your  tongue, 

And  see  what  you  can  say. 


186 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


GAMES. 


187 


HERE  goes  my  lord 
A  trot,  a  trot,  a  trot,  a  trot ! 

Here  goes  my  lady 
A  canter,  a  canter,  a  canter,  a  canter  I 


Here  goes  my  young  master 
Jockey-hitch,  Jockey-hitch,  Jockey-hitch,  Jockey-hitch! 

Here  goes  my  young  miss 
An  amble,  an  amble,  an  amble,  an  amble ! 
The  footman  lags  behind  to  tipple  ale  and  wine, 
And  goes  gallop,  a  gallop,  a  gallop,  to  make  up  his  time. 


188  NUESEEY  RHYMES. 


RIDE  a  cock-horse  to  Banbury  Cross, 

To  buy  little  Johnny  a  galloping  horse; 

It  trots  behind,  and  it  ambles  before, 

And  Johnny  shall  ride  till  he  can  ride  no  more. 


SIEVE  my  lady's  oatmeal, 

Grind  my  lady's  flour, 
Put  it  in  a  chestnut, 

Let  it  stand  an  hour; 
One  may  rush,  two  may  rush, — 
Come,  my  girls,  walk  under  the  bush. 


TRIP  and  go,  heave  and  hoe ! 
Up  and  down,  to  and  fro; 
From  the  town  to  the  grove, 
Two  and  two  let  us  rove, 
A-maying,  a-playing; 
Love  hath  no  gainsaying! 
So,  merrily  trip  and  go ! 
So,  merrily  trip  and  go! 

SEE-SAW,  jack  a  daw ! 

What  is  a  craw  to  do  wi'  her  ? 

She  has  not  a  stocking  to  put  on  her, 

And  the  craw  has  not  one  for  to  gi'  her. 


GAMES.  189 


Now  we  dance  looby,  looby,  looby, 
Now  we  dance  looby,  looby,  light 
Shake  your  right  hand  a  little, 
And  turn  you  round  about. 

Now  we  dance  looby,  looby,  looby, 
Shake  your  right  hand  a  little, 
Shake  your  left  hand  a  little, 
And  turn  you  round  about. 

Now  we  dance  looby,  looby,  looby, 
Shake  your  right  hand  a  little, 
Shake  your  left  hand  a  little, 
Shake  your  right  foot  a  little, 
And  turn  you  round  about. 

Now  we  dance  looby,  looby,  looby, 
Shake  your  right  hand  a  little, 
Shake  your  left  hand  a  little, 
Shake  your  right  foot  a  little, 
Shake  your  left  foot  a  little, 
And  turn  you  round  about. 

Now  we  dance  looby,  looby,  looby, 
Shake  your  right  hand  a  little, 
Shake  your  left  hand  a  little, 
Shake  your  right  foot  a  little, 
Shake  your  left  foot  a  little, 
Shake  your  head  a  little, 
And  turn  you  round  about. 

Children  dance  round  first,  then  stop  and  shake  the  hand,  &c.,  then 
turn  slowly  round,  and  then  dance  in  a  ring  again. 


MARGERY  MUTTON-PIE  and  Johnny  Bopeep. 
They  met  together  in  Gracechurch  Street ; 
In  and  out,  in  and  out,  over  the  way, 
"  Oh,  says  Johnny,  "  't  is  chop-nose  day!" 


190 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


THE  BRAMBLE-BUSH. 

A  ring-dance  imitation  play,  the  metrical  portion  of  which  is  not 
without  a  little  melody.  The  bramble-bush  is  often  imaginative,  but 
sometimes  represented  by  a  child  in  the  centre  of  the  ring;  all  join 
hands,  and  dance  round  in  a  circle,  singing, 


GAMES.  191 


Here  we  go  round  the  bramble- bush, 
The  bramble-bush,  the  bramble-bush; 

Here  we  go  round  the  bramble-bush 
On  a  cold  frosty  morning! 

After  the  chanting  of  this  verse  is  ended,  all  the  children  commence 
an  imitation  of  washing  clothes,  making  appropriate  movements  with 
their  hands,  and  saying, 

This  is  the  way  we  wash  our  clothes, 
Wash  our  clothes,  wash  our  clothes; 

This  is  the  way  we  wash  our  clothes 
On  a  cold  frosty  morning ! 

They  then  dance  round,  repeating  the  first  stanza,  after  which  the 
operation  of  drying  the  clothes  is  commenced  with  a  similar  verse, 
"This  is  the  way  we  dry  our  clothes,"  &c.  The  game  may  be  con- 
tinued almost  ad  infinitum  by  increasing  the  number  of  duties  to  be  per- 
formed. They  are,  however,  generally  satisfied  with  mangling,  smooth- 
ing, or  ironing  the  clo:hes,  and  then  putting  them  away.  Sometimes 
they  conclude  with  a  general  cleaning,  which  may  well  be  necessary  after 
the  large  quantity  of  work  which  has  been  done: 

This  is  the  way  we  clean  our  rooms, 
Clean  our  rooms,  clean  our  rooms; 

This  is  the  way  we  clean  our  rooms 
On  a  cold  frosty  morning ! 

And,  like  good  merry  washing-women,  they  are  not  exhausted  with 
their  labons,  but  conclude  with  the  song,  ' '  Here  we  go  round  the 
bramble-bush,"  having  had  sufficient  exercise  to  warm  themselves  on  any 
"cold  frosty  morning,"  which  w;ts  doubtless  the  result,  we  may  observe 
en  passant,  as  a  matter  of  domestic  economy  aimed  at  by  the  author.  It 
is  not  so  easy  to  give  a  similar  explanation  to  the  game  of  the  mulberry- 
bush,  conducted  in  the  same  manner: 

Here  we  go  round  the  mulberry-bush, 
The  mulberry-bush,  the  mulberry-bush; 

Here  we  go  round  the  mulberry-bush 
On  a  sunshiny  morning. 

In  this  game  the  motion-cries  are  usually  "This  is  the  way  we  wash 
our  clothes,"  "  This  is  the  way  we  dry  our  clothes,"  "This  is  the  way 


192 NURSERY  EHYMES. 

we  make  our  shoes,"  "This  is  the  way  we  mend  our  shoes,"  "This  is 
the  way  the  gentlemen  walk,"  "This  is  the  way  the  ladies  walk,"  &c., 
As  in  other  cases,  the  dance  may  be  continued  by  the  addition  of  cries 
and  motions,  which  may  be  rendered  pretty  and  characteristic  in  the 
hands  of  judicious  actors.  This  game,  however,  requires  too  much  exer- 
cise to  render  it  so  appropriate  to  the  season  as  the  other. 


DROP-GLOVE. 

CHILDREN  stand  round  in  a  circle,  leaving  a  space  between  each.  One 
walks  round  the  outside,  and  carries  a  glove  or  handkerchief  in  her 
hand,  saying, 

I've  a  glove  in  my  hand, 

Hittity  Hot ! 
Another  in  my  other  hand, 

Hotter  than  that! 

So  I  sow  beans,  and  so  they  come  up, 
Some  in  a  mug,  and  some  in  a  cup. 
I  sent  a  letter  to  my  love, 
I  lost  it,  I  lost  it ! 
I  found  it,  I  found  it ! 
It  burns,  it  scalds. 

Repeating  the  last  words  very  rapidly  fill  she  drops  the  glove  behind 
one  of  them,  and  whoever  has  the  glove  must  overtake  her,  following 
her  exactly  in  and  out  till  she  catches  her.  If  the  pursuer  make'-1'  miy 
take  in  the  pursuit,  she  loses,  and  the  game  is  over;  otherwise  she  cos... 
tinues  the  game  with  the  glove. 


INTERY,  mintery,  cutery-corn, 
Apple  seed  and  apple  thorn; 
Wine,  brier,  limber-lock, 
Five  geese  in  a  flock, 
Sit  and  sing  by  a  spring, 
O-u-x,  and  in  again. 


TIP  top,  tower 

Tumble  down  in  an  hour. 


GAMES. 


193 


FIRST   pig   went  to 

market, 
Second   pig    stayed 

at  home, 
Third  pig  had  roast 

beef 
And  fourth  pig  had 

none; 
Fifth  little  pig  said, 

"wee,  wee, 
Give  me  some!" 


THE  OLD  DAME. 

ONE  child,  called  the  Old  Dame,  sits  on  the  floor,  and  the  rest  joining 
hands,  form  a  circle  round  her,  and  dancing,  sing  the  following  lines: 

Children.        To  Beccles!  to  Beccles! 

To  buy  a  bunch  of  nettles ! 

Pray,  old  Dame,  what's  o'clock? 
Dame.  One,  going  for  two. 

Children.       To  Beccles!  to  Beccles! 

To  buy  a  bunch  of  nettles ! 

Pray,  old  Dame,  what's  o'clock? 
Dame.  Two,  going  for  three. 

And  so  on  till  she  reaches  ' '  Eleven,  going  for  twelve. " 
After  this  the  following  questions  are  asked  with  the 
replies. — C.  Where  have  you  been?  D.  To  the  wood. 


194 NUESERY  EHYMES. 

C.  What  for?     D.  To  pick  up  sticks.     C.  What  for? 

D.  To  light  my  fire.     C.  What  for?    D.  To  boil  my 
kettle.     C.  What    for?     D.    To    cook    some    of    your 
chickens.     The  children  then  all  run  away  as  fast  as 
they  can,  and  the  Old  Dame  tries  to  catch  one  of  them. 
Whoever  is  caught  is  the  next  to  personate  the  Dame. 

IN  the  game  where  the  following  lines  are  used,  one  person  goes  reund 
inside  a  ring  of  children,  clapping  a  cap  between  his  hands.  When  he 
drops  it  at  the  foot  of  any  one,  that  one  leaves  his  position  and  gives 
chase,  and  is  obliged  to  thread  the  very  same  course  among  the  children 
till  the  first  is  caught.  The  first  then  stands  with  his  back  towards  the 
centre  of  the  ring,  the  one  called  out  takes  his  place,  and  thus  they  con- 
tinue till  nearly  all  are  "turned." 

My  hand  burns  hot,  hot,  hot, 

And  whoever  I  love  best,  I'll  drop  this  at  his  foot! 


NIDDY-NODDY. 

A  SIMPLE  but  very  amusing  game  at  cards,  at  which  any  number  can 
play.  The  cards  are  dealt  round,  and  one  person  commences  the  game 
by  placing  down  a  card,  and  the  persons  next  in  succession  who  hold  the 
same  card  in  the  various  suits  place  them  down  upon  it,  the  holder  of  the 
last  winning  the  trick.  The  four  persons  who  hold  the  cards  say,  when 
they  put  them  down, 

x.  There's  a  good  card  for  thee. 
a .  There's  a  still  better  than  he. 

3.  There's  the  best  of  all  three. 

4.  And  there  is  Niddy-noddee ! 

The  person  who  is  first  out,  receives  a  fish  for  each  card  unplayed. 


A  GAME  AT  BALL. 

CUCKOO,  cherry-tree,  Let  the  tree  be  high  or  low, 

Catch  a  bird,  and  give  it  to     Let  it  hail,  rain,  or  snow, 
me; 


GAMES.  195 


BARLEY-BRIDGE. 

A  STRINS  of  beys  and  girls,  each  holding  by  his  predecessor's  skirt*, 
approaches  two  others,  who,  with  joined  and  elevated  hands,  form  a 
double  arch.  After  the  dialogue  is  concluded,  the  line  passes  through 
the  arch,  and  the  last  is  caught,  if  possible,  by  the  sudden  lowering  of 
the  arms. 

"How  many  miles  to  Barley  bridge?" 

"Threescore  and  ten." 
"Can  I  get  there  by  candlelight?" 

"Yes,  if  your  legs  be  long." 
"A  courtesy  to  you,  and  a  courtesy  to  you, 
If  you  please  will  you  let  the  King's  horses  through?" 
' '  Through  and  through  shall  they  go, 

For  the  King's  sake; 
But  the  one  that  is  hindmost 
Will  meet  with  a  great  mistake. " 


THE  game  of  water-skimming  is  of  high  antiquity,  being  mentioned  by 
Julius  Pollux,  and  also  by  Eustathius,  in  his  commentary  upon  Homer. 
Brand  quotes  a  curious  passage  from  Minucius  Felix ;  but  all  antiquaries 
seem  to  have  overlooked  the  very  curious  notice  in  Higgins'  adaptation 
of  Junius's  "  Nomenclator, "  8vo,  London,  1585,  p.  299,  where  it  is  called 
"a  duck  and  a  drake,  and  a  halfe-penie  cake."  Thus  it  is  probable  that 
lines  like  the  following  were  employed  in  this  game  as  early  as  1585 ;  and 
it  may  be  that  the  last  line  has  recently  furnished  a  hint  to  Mathews  in 
his  amusing  song  in  "Patter  v.  Clatter." 

A  DUCK  and  a  drake,  A  hop  and  a  scotch, 

A  nice  barley-cake,  Is  another  notch, 

With  a  penny  to  pay  the  Slitherum,  slatherum,  take 

old  baker;  her. 

Two  children  sit  opposite  to  each  other;  the  first  turns  her  fingers  one 
over  the  other,  and  says, 

"  May  my  geese  fly  ©ver  your  barn  ?" 

The  ether  answer!  "  Yw,  if  they'll  do  no  harm,"  upon  which  the  first 
unpacks  the  fingers  of  her  hand,  and,  waving  it  overhead,  says, 

"  Fly  «ver  his  barn,  and  eat  all  his  corn. " 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


SEE-SAW. 

A  COMMON  game,  children  vacillating  on  either  end  of  a  plank  sup- 
ported  on  its  centre.  While  enjoying  this  recreation,  they  have  a  song 
of  appropriate  cadence,  the  burden  of  which  is, 

Titty  cum  tawtay,  Titty  cum  tawtay, 

The  ducks  in  the  water:         The  geese  follow  after. 


To  market  ride  the  gentlemen, 

So  do  we,  so  do  we; 
Then  comes  the  country  clown, 

Hobbledy  gee,  Hobbledy  gee ; 
First  go  the  ladies,  nim,  mm,  nim ; 
Next  come  the  gentlemen,  trim,  trim,  trim; 
Then  come  the  country  clowns,  gallop-a-trot. 


GAMES.  197 


NETTLES  grow  in  an  angry  bush, 

An  angry  bush,  an  angry  bush; 
Nettles  grow  in  an  angry  bush, 

With  my  High,  Ho,  Ham! 
This  is  the  way  the  lady  goes, 

The  lady  goes,  the  lady  goes; 
This  is  the  way  the  lady  goes, 

With  my  High,  Ho,  Ham ! 

THE  children  dance  round  some  chairs,  singing  the  first  three  lines, 
turning  round  and  clapping  hands  for  the  fourth  line.  They  curtsey 
while  saying  "this  is  the  way  the  lady  goes,"  and  again  turn  round  and 
clap  hands  for  the  last  line.  The  same  process  is  followed  in  every  verse, 
only  varying  what  they  act :  thus,  in  the  third  verse,  they  bow  for  the 
gentleman. 

Nettles  grow  in  an  angry  bush,  &c., 

This  is  the  way  the  gentleman  goes,  &c. 

Nettles  grow  in  an  angry  bush,  &c. 

This  is  the  way  the  tailor  goes,  &c. 
And  so  the  amusement  is  protracted  ad  libitum  with 
shoemaking,  washing  the  clothes,  ironing,  churning, 
milking,  making  up  butter,  &c. 

THERE  were  two 

blackbirds 
Sitting  on  a  hill, 
The  one  named  Jack, 
The  other  named 
Jill; 

Fly  away,  Jack!  Come  again,  Jack! 

Fly  away,  Jill!  Come  again,  Jill! 

RIDE  a  cock-horse  to  Banbury  Cross, 

To  see  what  Tommy  can  buy; 
A  penny  white  loaf,  a  penny  white  cake, 

And  a  twopenny  apple  pie. 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


SEE-SAW,  Margery  Daw, 

Sold  her  bed  and  lay  upon  straw; 

Was  not  she  a  dirty  girl 

To  sell  her  bed  and  lie  in  dirt  ? 


Game  with  the  hands. 


PlASI-PUDDlNG  hot, 

Pease  pudding  cold, 
Pease-pudding  in  the  pot, 
Nine  days  old. 


Some  like  it  hot, 
Some  like  it  cold, 

Some  like  it  in  the  pot, 
Nine  days  old. 


GAMES.  199 


MARY  BROWN.    FAIR  GUNDELA. 

A  slightly  dramatic  character  may  be  observed  im  this  game,  whien 
was  obtained  from  Essex,  England.  Children  form  a  ring,  erne  girl 
kneeling  in  the  ce»tre,  and  sorrowfully  hiding  her  face  with  her  hands. 
One  in  the  ring  then  says : 

Here  we  all  stand  round  the  ring, 

And  now  we  shut  poor  Mary  in; 

Rise  up,  poor  Mary  Brown, 

And  see  your  poor  mother  go  through  the  town. 
To  this  she  answers: 

I  will  not  stand  up  upon  my  feet, 

To  see  my  poor  mother  go  through  the  street. 
The  children  then  cry: 

Rise  up,  rise  up,  poor  Mary  Brown, 

And  see  your  poor  father  go  through  the  town. 
Mary.         I  will  not  stand  up  upon  my  feet, 

To  see  my  poor  father  go  through  the  street. 
Children.   Rise  up,  rise  up,  poor  Mary  Brown, 

To  see  your  poor  brother  go  through  the  town. 
Mary.         1  will  not  stand  up  upon  my  feet, 

To  see  my  poor  brother  go  through  the  street. 
Children.  Rise  up,  rise  up,  poor  Mary  Brown, 

To  see  your  poor  sister  go  through  the  town. 
Mary.  I  will  not  stand  up  upon  my  feet, 

To  see  my  poor  sister  go  through  the  street. 
Children.  Rise  up,  rise  up,  poor  Mary  Brown, 

To  see  the  poor  beggars  go  through  the  town. 
Mary.  I  will  not  stand  up  upon  my  feet, 

To  see  the  poor  beggars  go  through  the  street. 
One  would  have  thought  that  this  tiresome  repetition 
had  been  continued  quite  long  enough;  but  two  other 
verses  are  sometimes  added,  introducing  gentlemen  and 
ladies  with  the  same  questions,  to  both  of  which  it  is 
unnecessary  to  say  that  the  callous  and  hard-hearted 
Mary  Brown  replies  with  perfect  indifference  and  want 


200 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


of  curiosity.     All  versions,  however,  conclude  with  the 
girls  saying: 

Rise  up,  rise  up,  poor  Mary  Brown, 

And  see  your  poor  sweetheart  go  through  the  town. 
The  chord  is  at  last  touched,  and  Mary,  frantically  re- 
plying, 

I  will  get  up  upon  my  feet, 

To  see  my  sweetheart  go  through  the  street ! 
rushes  with  impetuosity  to  break  the  ring,  and  generally 
succeeds  in  escaping  the  bonds  that  detain  her  from  her 
imaginary  love. 


Leader. 
ist  Child. 
Leader. 
2nd  Child. 
Leader. 

I  went  up  one  pair  of  stairs. 
Just  like  me. 
I  went  up  two  pair  of  stairs. 
Just  like  me. 
I  went  into  a  room. 

3rd  Child. 
Leader. 

Just  like  me. 
I  looked  out  of  a  window. 

4th  Child. 
Leader. 
5th  Child. 

Leader, 
ist  Child. 
Leader. 

Just  like  me. 
And  there  I  saw  a  monkey. 
Just  like  me! 

I  am  a  gold  lock. 
I  am  a  gold  key. 
I  am  a  silver  lock. 

2nd  Child. 
Leader. 

I  am  a  silver  key. 
I  am  a  brass  lock. 

3rd  Child. 
Leader. 

I  am  a  brass  key. 
I  am  a  lead  lock. 

4th  Child. 
Leader. 

I  am  a  lead  key. 
I  am  a  monk  lock. 

5th  Child. 

I  am  a  monk  key  ! 

The  following  lines  are  sung  by  children  when  starting  for  a  race. 

GOOD  horses,  bad  horses,        Three  o'clock,  four  o'clock, 
What  is  the  time  of  day?         Now  fare  you  away. 


GAMES  201 


THERE  was  a  man,  and  his  name  was  Dob, 
And  he  had  a  wife,  and  her  name  was  Mob, 
And  he  had  a  dog,  and  he  called  it  Cob, 
And  she  had  a  cat,  called  Chitterabob. 
Cob,  says  Dob, 
Chitterabob,  says  Mob, 
Cob  was  Dob's  dog, 
Chitterabob  Mob's  cat. 


Two  of  the  strongest  children  are  selected,  A  and  B ;  A  stands  within  a 
ring  of  the  children,  B  being  outside. 

A.  Who  is  going  round  my  sheepfold? 

B.  Only  poor  old  Jacky  Lingo. 

A.  Don't  steal  any  of  my  black  sheep. 

B.  No,  no  more  I  will,  only  by  one: 

Up !  says  Jacky  Lingo.  (Strikes  one. ) 

The  child  struck  leaves  the  ring,  and  takes  hold  of  B 
behind;  B  in  the  same  manner  takes  the  other  children, 
one  by  one,  gradually  increasing  his  tail  on  each  repeti- 
tion of  the  verses,  until  he  has  got  the  whole;  A  then 
tries  to  get  them  back ;  B  runs  away  with  them ;  they 
try  to  shelter  themselves  behind  B;  A  drags  them  off, 
one  by  one,  setting  them  against  a  wall  until  he  has  re- 
covered all. — A  regular  "tearing  game,"  as  children 
say. 


202 NURSERY  RHYMES. 

RIDE  a  cock-horse  to  Banbury  Cross, 
To  see  an  old  lady  upon  a  white  horse, 
Rings  on  her  fingers,  and  bells  on  her  toes, 
And  so  she  makes  music  wherever  she  goes. 


ONE  old  Oxford  ox  opening  oysters; 

Two  teetotums  totally  tired  of  trying  to  trot  to  Tadbury ; 

Three  tall  tigers  tippling  tenpenny  tea; 

Four  fat  friars  fanning  fainting  flies ; 

Five  frippy  Frenchmen  foolishly  fishing  for  flies; 

Six  sportsmen  shooting  snipes; 

Seven  Severn  salmons  swallowing  shrimps; 

Eight  Englishmen  eagerly  examining  Europe; 

Nine  nimble  noblemen  nibbling  nonpareils ; 

Ten  tinkers  tinkling  upon  ten  tin  tinder-boxes  with  ten 

tenpenny  tacks; 

Eleven  elephants  elegantly  equipt; 
Twelve  typographical  typographers  typically  translating 

types. 


GAMES. 


RIDE  a  cock-horse  to  Coventry  Cross, 

T©  sea  what  Emma  can  buy; 
A  peaay  whit*  cake  I'll  buy  for  her  sake, 

And  a  tw®p*nny  tart  ©r  a  pie. 


204  NUESEEY  RHYMES. 

THE  TOWN  LOVERS. 

A  GAME  played  by  boys  and  girls.  A  girl  is  placed  in  the  middle  of  a 
ring,  and  says  the  following  lines,  the  names  being  altered  to  suit  the 
party.  She  points  to  each  one  named,  and  at  the  last  line  the  party 
selected  immediately  runs  away,  and  if  the  girl  catches  him,  he  pays  a 
forfeit,  or  the  game  is  commenced  again,  the  boy  being  placed  in  the 
middle,  and  the  lines,  mutatis  mutandis,  serve  for  a  reversed  amusement: 

There  is  a  girl  of  our  town, 
She  often  wears  a  flowered  gown: 
Tommy  loves  her  night  and  day, 
And  Richard  when  he  may, 
And  Johnny  when  he  can : 
I  think  Sam  will  be  the  man ! 


THIS  is  the  way  the  ladies  ride; 

Tri,  tre,  tre,  tree, 

Tri,  tre,  tre,  tree! 
This  is  the  way  the  ladies  ride, 

Tri,  tre,  tre,  tre,  tri-tre- tre- tree ! 

This  is  the  way  the  gentlemen  ride ; 

Gallop- a-trot, 

Gallop-a-trot! 
This  is  the  way  the  gentlemen  ride, 

Gallop-a-gallop-a-trot ! 

This  is  the  way  the  farmers  ride, 

Hobbledy-hoy, 

Hobbledy-hoy! 
This  is  the  way  the  farmers  ride, 

Hobbledy  hobbledy-hoy ! 


TOM  Brown's  two  little  Indian  boys, 

One  ran  away, 

The  other  wouldn't  stay, — 
Tom  Brown's  two  little  Indian  boys. 


GAMES.  205 


A  Christmas  custom  in  Lancashire.  The  boys  dress  themselves  up 
with  ribbons,  and  perform  various  pantomimes,  after  which  one  of  them, 
who  has  a  blackened  face,  a  rough  skin  coat,  and  a  broom  in  his  hand, 
sings  as  follows: 

HERE  come  I,  Money  I  want, 

Little  David  Doubt;  And  money  I  crave; 

If  you  don't  give  me  money,      You  don't  give  me  money, 
I'll  sweep  you  all  out.  I'll  sweep  you  all  to  the 

grave! 


THIS  is  the  key  of  the  kingdom. 
In  that  kingdom  there  is  a  city. 
In  that  city  there  is  a  town. 
In  that  town  there  is  a  street. 
In  that  street  there  is  a  lane. 
In  that  lane  there  is  a  yard. 
In  that  yard  there  is  a  house. 
In  that  house  there  is  a  room. 
In  that  room  there  is  a  bed. 
On  that  bed  there  is  a  basket. 
In  that  basket  there  are  some  flowers. 
Flowers  in  the  basket,  basket  in  the  bed,  bed  in  the 
room,  &c.,  &c. 


THIS  should  be  accompanied  by  a  kind  of  pantomimic  dance,  in  which 
the  motions  of  the  body  and  arms  express  the  process  of  weaving;  the 
motion  of  the  shuttle,  &c. 

Weave  the  diaper  tick-a-tick  tick, 

Weave  the  diaper  tick — 

Come  this  way,  come  that, 

As  close  as  a  mat, 

Athwart  and  across,  up  and  down,  round  about, 
And  forwards,  and  backwards,  and  inside,  and  out; 

Weave  the  diaper  thick-a- thick  thick, 

Weave  the  diaper  thick ! 


206 NUHSERY  RHYMES. 

THIS  game  begins  thus:     "Take    this."     "What's 
thit?"  "A  gaping,  wide-mouthed,  waddling  frog,*'  &c, 

Twelve  huntsmen  with  horns  and  hounds, 

Hunting  over  other  men's  grounds; 

Eleven  ships  sailing  o'er  the  main, 

Some  bound  for  France  and  some  for  Spain : 

I  wish  them  all  safe  home  again; 

Ten  comets  in  the  sky, 

Some  low  and  some  high; 

Nine  peacocks  in  the  air, 

I  wonder  how  they  all  came  there, 

I  do  not  know  and  I  do  not  care ; 

Eight  joiners  in  Joiners'  Hall, 

Working  with  the  tools  and  all; 

Seven  lobsters  in  a  dish, 

As  fresh  as  any  heart  could  wish ; 

Six  beetles  against  the  wall, 

Close  by  an  old  woman's  apple-stall; 

Five  puppies  of  our  dog  Ball, 

Who  daily  for  their  breakfast  call; 

Four  horses  stuck  in  a  bog, 

Three  monkeys  tied  to  a  clog; 

Two  pudding- ends  would  choke  a  dog, 

With  a  gaping,  wide-mouthed,  waddling  frog. 


CLAP  hands,  clap  hands, 

Hie  Tommy  Randy, 
Did  you  see  my  good  man  ? 

They  call  him  Cock-a-bandy. 

Silken  stockings  on  his  legs, 
Silver  buckles  glancin, ' 

A  sky-blue  bonnet  on  his  head, 
And  oh !  but  he  is  handsome. 


GAMES. 


207 


NUMBER  number  nine, 
this  hoop's  mine; 

Number  number  ten, 
take  it  back  again. 


THIS  is  acted  by  two  or  more 
girls, who  walk  or  dance  up  and 
down,  turning  when  they  say 
"Turn,  cheeses,  turn."  The 
" green  cheeses,"  as  we  are  in- 
formed, are  made  with  sage 
and  potato-tops.  Two  girls  are 
said  to  be  "cheese  and  cheese." 

Green    cheese,     yellow 
laces, 

Up  and  down  the  mar- 
ket-places, 
Turn,  cheeses,  turn.  

A  NUMBER  of  boys  and  girls  stand  round  one  in  the  middle,  who  re- 
peats the  following  lines,  counting  the  children  until  one  is  counted  out 
by  the  end  of  the  verses. 

Ring  me  (i),  ring  me  (2),  ring  me  rary  (3), 

As  I  go  round  (4),  ring  by  ring  (5), 

A  virgin  (6)  goes  a-maying  (7). 

Here's  a  flower  (8),  and  there's  a  flower  (9), 

Growing  in  my  lady's  garden  (10), 

If  you  set  your  foot  awry  (n), 

Gentle  John  will  make  you  cry  (12), 

If  you  set  your  foot  amiss  (13), 

Gentle  John  (14)  will  give  you  a  kiss. 

The  child  upon  whom  (14)  falls  is  then  taken  out,  and  forced  to  sei^ct 
one  of  the  other  sex.  The  middle  child  then  proceeds. 

This  [lady  or  gentleman]  is  none  of  ours, 
Has  put  [him  or  her]  self  in  [the  selected  child's]  power, 
So  clap  all  hands,  and  ring  all  bells,  and  make  the  wed- 
ding o'er.  (All clap  hands.) 

If  the  child  taken  by  lot  joins  in  the  clapping,  the  selected  child  is  re- 
jected,  and  I  believe  takes  the  middle  place.  Otherwise,  I  think  there 
is  a  salute. 


208 


NUESERY  RHYMES. 


THE  "  Three  Knights  of  Spain  "  is  a  game  played  in  the  following 
manner:  The  dramatis  persona  form  themselves  in  two  parties — one  rep- 
resenting a  courtly  dame  and  her  daughters,  the  other  the  suitors  of  the 
daughters.  The  last  party,  moving  backwards  and  forwards,  with  their 
arms  entwined,  approach  and  recede  from  the  mother  party,  which  is 
stationary,  singing  to  a  very  sweet  air. 

Suitors.     We  are  three  brethren  out  of  Spain, 

Come  to  court  your  daughter  Jane. 
Mother.     My  daughter  Jane  she  is  too  young, 

And  has  not  learned  her  mother  tongue. 
Suitors.     Be  she  young,  or  be  she  old, 

For  her  beauty  she  must  be  sold. 

So  fare  you  well,  my  lady  gay, 

We'll  call  again  another  day. 
Mother.     Turn  back,  turn  back,  thou  scornful  knight, 

And  rub  thy  spurs  till  they  be  bright. 
Suitors.     Of  my  spurs  take  thou  no  thought, 

For  in  this  town  they  were  not  bought; 

So  fare  you  well,  my  lady  gay, 

We'll  call  again  another  day. 
Mother.     Turn  back,  turn  back,  thou  scornful  knight, 

And  take  the  fairest  in  your  sight. 
Suitor.      The  fairest  maid  that  I  can  see 

Is  pretty  Nancy, — come  to  me.* 
*  Here  the  suitor  tries  to  pull  Nancy  over  to  his  side. 

Here  comes  your  daughter  safe  and  sound, 
Every  pocket  with  a  thousand  pound  • 
Every  finger  with  a  gay  gold  ring ; 
Please  to  take  your  daughter  in. 

BEANS  AND  BUTTER. 
So  the  game  of  "  Hide-and-Seek  "  is  called  in  some  parts  of  Oxfordshire. 

CHILDREN  hide  from  each  other,  and  when  it  is  time  to  commence  the 
search,  the  cry  is, 

Hot  boiled  beans  and  very  good  butter, 
If  you  please  to  come  to  supper! 


GAMES.  209 


HERE  we  come  a-piping, 
First  in  Spring,  and  then  in  May; 
The  Queen  she  sits  upon  the  sand, 
Fair  as  a  lily,  white  as  a  wand : 
King  John  has  sent  you  letters  three, — 
And  begs  you'll  read  them  unto  me. 
We  can't  read  one  without  them  all, 
So  pray,  Miss  Bridget,  deliver  the  ball! 


HITTY-TITTY. 

HITTY-TITTY  indoors  You  touch  Hitty-titty, 

Hitty-titty  out;  And   Hitty-titty  will  bite 

you. 

These  lines  are  said  by  children  when  one  of  them  has  hid  herself. 
They  then  run  away,  and  the  one  who  is  bitten  (caught)  becomes  Hitty- 
titty,  and  hides  in  her  turn. 

ANOTHER  game,  played  exclusively  by  boys.  Two,  who  are  fixed 
upon  for  the  purpose,  leave  the  group,  and  privately  arrange  that  the 
pass-word  shall  be  some  implement  of  a  particular  trade.  The  trade  is 
announced  in  the  dialogue,  and  then  the  fun  is,  that  the  unfortunate 
wight  who  guesses  the  "tool"  is  beaten  with  the  caps  of  his  fellows  till 
he  reaches  a  fixed  goal,  after  which  he  goes  out  in  turn. 

' '  Two  broken  tradesmen, 

Newly  come  over, 
The  one  from  France  and  Scotland, 

The  other  from  Dover. " 
"  What's  your  trade?" 

Carpenters,  nailers,  smiths,  tinkers,  or  any  other  is  answered,  and  on 
guessing  the  instrument  "plane  him !"  "hammer  him  !"  "rasp  him  !"  or 
"solder  him!"  is  called  out  respectively  during  the  period  of  punish- 
ment. 

Used  in  Somersetshire  in  counting  out  the  game  of  pee-wip  or  pee-wit. 
ONE-KRY,  two-ery,  hickary,  hum, 
Fillison,  follison,  Nicholson,  John, 
Quever,  quauver,  Irish  Mar}-, 
Stenkarum,  stankarum,  buck! 


210 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


Aais  little  pig  went 
to  market. 


This  little  pig  stayed 
at  home. 


GAMES. 


211 


This   little    pig 
got  roast  beef. 


This  little  pig  cried  Oh!  dear  me,  all  the  way  home. 


2 1 2  NURSES  Y  RHYMES. 


WHOOP,  whoop,  and  hollow, 
Good  dogs  won't  follow, 
Without  the  hare  cries  ' '  pee 
wit" 


THE  following  is  a  game  played  as  follows:  A  string  of  boys  and  girls, 
each  holding  by  the  predecessor's  skirts,  approach  two  others,  who  witli 
joined  and  elevated  hands  form  a  double  arch.  After  the  dialogue,  the 
line  passes  through,  and  the  last  is  caught  by  a  sudden  lowering  of  the 
arms — if  possible. 

How  many  miles  is  it  to  Babylon? — 

Threescore  miles  and  ten. 
Can  I  get  there  by  candlelight? — 

Yes,  and  back  again ! 
If  your  heels  are  nimble  and  light, 
You  may  get  there  by  candlelight. 


CLAP  hands,  clap  hands  I  But  mother's  got  none. 

Till  father  comes  home;  Clap  hands,  &c. 

For  father's  got  money,  Till  father,  &c. 

GAME  OF  THE  GIPSY. 

ONE  child  is  selected  for  Gipsy,  one  for  Mother,  and  one  for  Daughter 
Sue.  The  Mother  says, 

I  charge  my  daughters  every  one 
To  keep  good  house  while  I  am  gone. 
You  and  you  (points)  but  specially  you, 
[Or  sometimes,  "but  specially  Sue"] 
Or  else  I'll  beat  you  black  and  blue. 

During  the  Mother's  absence  the  Gipsy  comes  in,  entices  a  child  away, 
and  hides  her.  This  process  is  repeated  till  all  the  children  are  hidden, 
when  the  Mother  has  to  find  them. 

HERE  stands  a  post,  A  better  man  than  you; 

Who  put  it  there ?  Touch  it  if  you  dare! 


GAMES.  213 


A  STRING  of  children,  hand  in  hand,  stand  in  a  row.  A  child  (A) 
stands  in  front  ot  them,  as  leader;  two  other  children  (B  and  C]  form  an 
arch,  each  holding  both  the  hands  of  the  other. 

A.  Draw  a  pail  of  water, 
For  my  lady's  daughter; 

My  father's  a  King,  and  my  mother's  a  Queen, 
My  two  little  sisters  are  dressed  in  green, 
Stamping  grass  and  parsley, 
Marigold-leaves  and  daisies. 

B.  One  rush,  two  rush, 

Pray  thee,  fine  lady,  come  under  my  bush. 

A  passes  by  under  the  arch,  followed  by  the  whole  string  of  children, 
the  last  of  whom  is  taken  captive  by  B  and  C.  The  verses  are  repeated 
until  all  are  taken.  

A  STANDS  with  a  row  of  girls  (her  daughters)  behind  her;  B,  a  suitor, 
advances. 

B.   Trip  trap  over  the  grass.     If  you  please  will  you  let 
one  of  your  [eldest]  daughters  come, 

Come  and  dance  with  me  ? 

I  will  give  you  pots  and  pans,  I  will  give  you  brass, 

I  will  give  you  anything  for  a  pretty  lass, 
A  says,  "No." 
B.   I  will  give  you  gold  and  silver,  I  will  give  you  pearl, 

I  will  give  you  anything  for  a  pretty  girl. 

A.  Take  one,  take  one,  the  fairest  you  may  see. 

B.  The  fairest  one  that  I  can  see 
Is  pretty  Nancy, — come  to  me. 

B  carries  one  off,  and  says, 

You  shall  have  a  duck,  my  dear,  and  you  shall  have 

a  drake, 
And  you  shall  have  a  young  man  apprentice  for 

your  sake, 
Children  say, 

If  this  young  man  should  happen  to  die, 
And  leave  this  poor  woman  a  widow, 
The  bells  shall  all  ring,  and  the  birds  shall  all  sing, 

And  we'll  all  clap  hands  together, 
'So  it  is  repeated  until  the  whole  are  taken. 


214 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


Children  hunting  bats. 


BAT,  bat  (clap  hands), 
Come  under  my  hat, 
And  I'll  give  you  a  slice  of 
bacon; 


And  when  I  bake, 
111  give  you  a  cake, 
If  I  am  not  mistaken. 


SEE-SAW  sacradown, 
Which  is  the  way  to  London  town  ? 
One  foot  up  and  the  other  down, 
And  that  is  the  way  to  London  town. 


GAMES  ON  A  CHILD'S  FEATURES. 


HERE  sits  the  Lord  Mayor 

Here  sit  his  two  men 
Here  sits  the  cock   . 

Here  sits  the  hen 
Hera  sit  th«  little  ckick*n« 

Here  the  run  in  . 
Ckinchopp^r,  chimek*pp«r, 

Chinchopper,  chin!    . 


forehead, 
eyes. 

right  cheek, 
left  cheek, 
tip  of  nts*. 
mtutk. 

chuck  the  ehin. 


GAMES.  215 


THESE  lines  are  said  to  a  very  young  child,  touching  successively  for 
each  lint  the  eye.  nose,  chin,  tooth,  tongue,  and  mouth. 

Bo  peeper,  White  lopper, 

Nose  dreeper,  Red  rag, 

Chin  chopper,  And  little  gap. 

Sometimes  the  following  version  is  used. 

Brow  brinky,  Nose  noppy, 

Eye  winky,  Cheek  cherry, 

Chin  choppy,  Mouth  merry. 


A  PLAY  WITH  THE  FACE. 
The  child  exclaims: 

Ring  the  bell !    .     .  giving  a  lock  of  its  hair  a  pull. 
Knock  at  the  door  .  tapping  its  forehead. 
Draw  the  latch !  .  .  prilling  up  its  nose. 
And  walk  in     .      .  opening  its  mouth  and  putting  in  its 
finger. 


216 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


IN  the  following,  the  various  parts  of  the  countenance  are  touched  as 
the  lines  are  repeated,  and  at  the  close  the  chin  is  struck  playfully,  that 
the  tongue  may  be  gently  bitten. 


Eye  winker, 
Tom  Tinker, 
Nose  dropper, 

THUMB  bold, 

Thibity-thold, 

Langman, 


Mouth  eater, 
Chin  chopper, 
Chin  chopper. 


Lick-apan, 
Mamma's  little  man. 


THIS  broke  the 

barn, 

This  stole  the  corn, 
This  got  none, 
This  went  pinky- 
winky 
All  the  way  home ! 


1.  THIS   pig  went 

to  the  barn. 

2.  This  eat  all  the 

corn. 

3.  This   said  he 

would  tell. 

4.  This   said  he 

wasn't  well. 

5.  This    went 

Week !  week ! 
week !  over  the 
door  sill 


GAMES. 


217 


A  song  set  to  five  fingers. 

1.  THIS  pig  went  to  market; 

2.  This  pig  stayed  at  home; 

3.  This  pig  had  a  bit  of  meat; 

4.  And  this  pig  had  none ; 

5.  This  pig  said,  Wee,  wee,  wee! 
I  can't  find  my  way  home. 


A  game  on  the  slate. 

EGGS,  butter,  bread, 
Stick,  stock,  stone  dead ! 
Stick  him  up,  stick  him  down, 
Stick  him  in  the  old  man's  crown. 


From  Yorkshire. 


A  game  to  alarm  children. 

FLOWERS,    flowers,    high-         Sheeny,  greeny, 

do!  Sheeny,  greeny, 

Sheeny,  greeny,  rino!    Rum  turn  fra! 

SEE-SAW,  Margary  Daw, 

Little  Jacky  shall  have  a  new  master ; 
Little  Jacky  shall  have  but  a  penny  a  day, 

Because  he  can't  work  any  faster. 


218     NURSERY  XHYMES. r 

A    GAME   OF    THE    FOX. 

Fox  a  fox,  a  brummalary, 

How  many  miles  to  Lummaflary?  Lummabary? 
A.  Eight  and  eight  and  a  hundred  and  eight. 

How  shall  I  get  home  to-night? 
A.  Spin  your  legs,  and  run  fast. 

IN  the  following  childish  amusement,  one  extends  his  arm,  and  the 
other,  in  illustration  of  the  narrative,  strikes  him  gently  with  the  side  of 
his  hand  at  the  shoulder  and  wrist,  and  then  at  the  word  "middle  "  with 
considerable  force  on  the  flexor  muscles  at  the  elbow-joint. 

MY  father  was  a  French- 
man, 
He  bought  for  me  a 

riddle, 
He  cut  me  here  he  cut 

me  there, 

He  cut  me  right  in 
the  middle. 

I  WENT  to  the  sea, 
And  saw  twentee 

Geese  all  in  a  row : 
My  glove  I  would  give 
Full  of  gold,  if  my  wife 

Was  as  white  as  those. 

These  lines  are  to  be  re- 
peated rapidly  and  correctly, 
inserting  the  word  cot  her  after 
every  word,  under  pain  of  a 
forfeit. 

IT'S  time,  I  believe, 

For  us  to  get  leave; 

The  little  dog  says 

It  isn't,  it  it;  it  isn't  it  it  4* 


GAMES.  219 


Said  by  a  schoolboy,  who  places  his  book  between  his 
knees.  His  two  forefingers  are  then  placed  together, 
and  the  breadth  of  each  is  measured  alternately  along 
the  length  of  the  book.  The  time  to  get  leave  (to  be 
dismissed)  is  supposed  to  have  arrived  or  not  according 
as  one  finger  or  the  other  fills  up  the  last  place. 

A  duck  and  a  drake,  It's  time  to  go  home, 

And  a  white  penny  cake.        It  isn't,  it  is,  &c. 

So  going  on  with  the  fingers  one  over  the  other  along 
the  edge  of  a  book  or  desk,  till  the  last  finger  deter- 
mines the  question. 

PUT  your  finger  in  Foxy's     Foxy  is  at  the  back  door, 

hole,  Picking  of  a  bone. 

Foxy  is  not  at  home: 

Holding  the  fist  in  such  a  way  that  if  a  child  puts  its 
finger  in  you  can  secure  it,  still  leaving  the  hole  at  top 
open. 


THIS  pig  went  to  mark«t, 

Squeak  mouse,  mouse,  mousey; 
Shoe,  shoe,  shoe  the  wild  colt, 

And  here's  my  own  doll,  Dowsy. 


220 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


Song  set  to  five  toes. 

1.  LET  us  go  to  the  wood,  said  this  pig; 

2.  What  to  do  there?  says  that  pig; 

3.  To  look  for  my  mother,  says  this  pig; 

4.  What  to  do  with  her?  says  that  pig; 

5.  Kiss  her  to  death,  says  this  pig. 


GAMES. 


221 


JACK'S  alive,  and  in  very  good  health; 

If  he  dies  in  your  hand,  you  must  look  to  yourself. 

Played  with  a  stick,  one  end  burnt  red  hot;  it  is 
passed  round  a  circle  from  one  to  the  other,  the  one  who 
passes  it  saying  this,  and  the  one  whose  hand  it  goes  out 
in  paying  a  forfeit. 


Patting  the  foot  on  the  five  toes. 

SHOE  the  colt,  shoe ! 

Shoe  the  wild  mare; 
Put  a  sack  on  her  back, 

See  if  she'll  bear. 
If  she'll  bear. 
We'll  give  her  some  grains; 

If  she  won't  bear, 
We'll  dash  out  her  brains  I 


An  exercise  during  which  the  fingers  of  the  child  are  enumerated. 
THUMBIKIN,  Thumbikin,  broke  the  barn, 
Pinnikin,  Pinnikin,  stole  the  corn. 
Long  backed  Gray 
Carried  it  away. 
Old  Mid- man  sat  and  saw, 
But  Peesy-weesy  paid  for  a*. 


A    GAME    ON    THE    FINGERS. 

peetum     penny     East,  West,  North,  South, 


HEETUM 
pie, 
Populorum  gingum  gie; 


Kirby,  Kendal,  cock  him 
out! 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


THX  two  follrwimg  are  frapnemts  of  a  ^ arae  called 
Lend." 


•TkeLady.f  thfl 


Here  comes  a  poor  woman  from  Baby-land, 
With  three  small  children  in  her  hand: 
One  can  brew,  the  other  can  bake, 
The  other  can  make  a  pretty  round  cake. 
One  can  sit  in  the  garden  and  spin, 
Another  can  make  a  fine  bed  for  the  King; 
Pray,  ma'am,  will  you  take  one  in? 


THE  first  day  of    Christ- 
mas, 

My  true  love  sent  to  me 
A  partridge  in  a  pear-tree. 

The  second  day  of  Christ- 
mas, 

My  true  love  sent  to  me 
Two  turtle-doves  and 
A  partridge  in  a  pear-tree. 

The  third  day  of  Christ- 
mas, 

My  true  love  sent  to  me 
Three  French  hens, 
Two  turtle-doves,  and 
A  partridge  in  a  pear-tree. 

The  fourth  day  of  Christ- 
mas, 

My  true  love  sent  to  m« 
Four  colly  birds, 
Thrt»  French  heas, 
Tw«  ttfrtle-ioves,  a*4 
A  partridge  in  a  pear- tree. 


The  fifth  day  of  Christ- 
mas, 

My  true  love  sent  to  me 
Five  gold  rings, 
Four  colly  birds, 
Three  French  hens, 
Two  turtle-doves,  and 
A  partridge  in  a  pear-tree. 

The  sixth  day  of  Christ- 
mas, 

My  true  love  sent  to  me 
Six  geese  a-laying, 
Five  gold  rings, 
Four  colly  birds, 
Three  French  hens, 
Two  turtle-doves,  and 
A  partridge  in  a  pear-tree. 

The  seventh  day  of  Chri«t- 

mat, 

My  true  love  sent  to  me 
Sev«!|  swans  a-swimming, 
Six  geese  a-laying, 


GAMES. 


223 


Five  gold  rings, 
Four  colly  birds, 
Three  French  hens, 
Two  turtle-doves,  and 
A  partridge  in  a  pear-tre«. 

The  eighth  day  of  Chriit- 

mas, 

My  true  love  sent  to  me 
Eight  maids  a-milking, 
Seven  swans  a- swimming, 
Six  geese  a-laying, 
Five  gold  rings, 
Four  colly  birds, 
Three  French  hens, 
Two  turtle-doves,  and 
A  partridge  in  a  pear-tree. 

The  ninth  day  of  Christ- 
mas, 

My  true  love  sent  to  me 
Nine    drummers    drum- 

ming, 

Eight  maids  a-milking, 
Seven  swans  a-swimming, 
Six  geese  a-laying, 
Five  gold  rings, 
Four  colly  birds, 
Three  French  hens, 
Two  turtle-doves,  and 
A  partridge  in  a  pear-tree. 

The  tenth  day  of  Christ- 
mas, 

My  true  love  sent  to  me 
Ten  pipers  piping, 


Nine  drummers  drum- 
ming, 

Eight  maids  a-milking, 
Seven  swans  a-swimming, 
Six  geese  a-layinj, 
Five  gold  rings, 
Four  colly  birds, 
Three  French  hens, 
Two  turtle  doves,  and 
A  partridge  in  a  pear-tree. 

The  eleventh  day  of  Christ- 
mas, 

My  true  love  sent  to  me 

Eleven  ladies  dancing, 

Ten  pipers  piping, 

Nine  drummers  drum, 
ming, 

Eight  maids  a-milking, 

Seven  swans  a-swimming, 

Six  geese  a-laying, 

Five  gold  rings, 

Four  colly  birds, 

Three  French  hens, 

Two  turtle-doves,  and 

A  partridge  in  a  pear-tree. 

The  twelfth  day  of  Christ- 
mas 

My  true  love  sent  to  me 
Twelve  lords  a-leaping, 
Eleven  ladies  dancing, 
Ten  pipers  piping, 
Nine     drummers     drum- 
ming, 


224 Nl'ESER  Y  RHYMES. 

Eight  maids  a- milking,  Four  colly  birds, 

Seven  swans  a- swimming,  Three  French  hens, 

Six  geese  a-laying,  Two  turtle-doves,  and 

Five  gold  rings,  A  partridge  in  a  pear-tree. 

Each  child  in  succession  repeats  the  gifts  of  the  day, 
and  raises  her  fingers  and  hands  according  to  the  num- 
bers named.  Forfeits  are  paid  for  each  mistake. 

This  accumulative  process  is   a  favorite  one   with  children.     In  early 

writers,  such  as  Homer,  the  repetition  of  messages,  &c.,  pleases 

on  the  same  principle. 


THE   POOR   SOLDIER. 

CHILDREN  form  a  half-circle,  first  choosing  one  of  their  number  to 
represent  the  poor  soldier.  The  chief  regulation  is  that  none  of  the 
players  may  use  the  words  "yes,"  "no,"  "black,"  "white,"  or  "grey." 
The  poor  soldier  traverses  the  semicircle  thus  addressing  each  player: 

"  Here's  a  poor  soldier  come  to  town! 
Have  you  aught  to  give  him  ?" 

The  answer  must,  of  course,  be  evasive,  else  there 
is  a  fine.  He  continues,  "  Have  you  a  pair  of  trousers 
[or  old  coat,  shoes,  cap,  &c  ]  to  give  me  ?"  The  an- 
swer must  again  be  evasive,  or  else  another  forfeit. 
The  old  soldier  then  asks,  "Well,  what  color  is  it?" 
The  reply  must  avoid  the  forbidden  colors,  or  another 
forfeit  is  the  penalty.  Great  ingenuity  may  be  ex- 
hibited in  the  manner  in  which  the  questions  and  an- 
swers are  constructed,  and  in  the  hands  of  some  child- 
ren, this  is  a  most  amusing  recreation.  The  forfeits 
are,  of  course,  cried  at  the  end  of  the  game. 


THE    DIAMOND    RING. 

CHILDREN  sit  in  a  ring  or  in  a  line,  with  their  hands 
placed  together  palm  to  palm,  and  held  straight,  the 
little  fingers  downmost  between  the  knees.  One  of 


GAMES.  225 


them  is  then  chosen  to  represent  a  servant,  who  con- 
ceals a  ring,  or  some  other  small  article  as  a  substitute, 
in  her  hands,  which  are  pressed  flat  together  like  those 
of  the  rest,  and  goes  round  the  circle  or  line,  placing 
her  hands  into  the  hands  of  every  player,  so  that  she  is 
enabled  to  let  the  ring  fall  wherever  she  pleases  with- 
out detection.  After  this,  she  returns  to  the  first  child 
she  touched,  and,  with  her  hands  behind  her,  exclaims, 
"  My  lady's  lost  her  diamond  ring; 

I  pitch  upon  you  to  find  it!" 

The  child  who  is  thus  addressed  must  guess  who  has 
the  ring,  and  the  servant  performs  the  same  ceremony 
with  each  of  the  party.  Those  who  guess  right,  es- 
cape ;  but  the  rest  forfeit.  Should  any  one  in  the  ring 
exclaim,  "I  have  it!"  she  also  forfeits;  nor  must  the 
servant  make  known  who  has  the  ring,  until  all  have 
guessed,  under  the  same  penalty.  The  forfeits  are 
afterwards  cried  as  usual. 


I  CAN  make  diet  bread, 
Thick  and  thin ; 

I  can  make  diet  bread, 
Fit  for  the  King. 


THE  following  lines  are  repeated  by  the  nurse  when 
sliding  her  hand  down  the  child's  face: 
My  mother  and  your  mother 

Went  over  the  way; 
Said  my  mother  to  your  mother, 
It's  chop-a-nose  day ! 


226 NURSERY  RHYMES. 

THE  following  lines  are  said  by  the  nurse  when  mov- 
ing the  child's  foot  up  and  down : 

The  dog  of  the  kill* 
He  went  to  the  mill 

To  lick  mill-dust, 
The  miller  he  came 
With  a  stick  on  his  back — 

Home,  dog,  home! 
The  foot  behind, 

The  foot  before, 
When  he  came  to  a  stile, 

Thus  he  jumped  o'er. 

*  That  if,  a  kiln. 


SLATE    GAMES. 

ENTERTAINING  puzzles  or  exercises  upon  the  slate  are 
generally  great  favorites  with  children.  A  great 
variety  of  them  are  current  in  the  nursery,  or  rather 
were  so  some  years  ago.  The  story  of  the  four  rich 
men,  the  four  poor  men,  and  the  pond,  was  one  of 
these;  the  difficulty  merely  requiring  a  zigzag  en- 
closure to  enable  it  to  be  satisfactorily  solved. 

Once  upon  a  time  there  was  a  pond  lying  upon  com- 
mon land,  which  was  extremely  commodious  for  fishing, 
bathing,  and  various  other  purposes.  Not  far  from  it 
lived  four  poor  men,  to  whom  it  was  of  great  service; 
and,  farther  off,  there  lived  four  rich  men.  The  latter 
envied  the  poor  men  the  use  of  the  pond,  and,  as  en- 
closure bills  had  not  then  come  into  fashion,  they  wished 
to  invent  an  enclosure- wall  which  should  shut  out  the 
poor  men  from  the  pond,  although  they  lived  so  near 
it,  and  still  give  free  access  to  the  rich  men,  who  re- 
sided at  a  greater  distance,  How  was  this  done  ? 


GAMES. 


287 


THE   GAME  OF    DUMP. 

A  BOY'S  amusement  in  Yorkshire,  in  vogue  about 
half  a  century  ago,  but  now,  I  believe,  nearly  obsolete. 
It  is  played  in  this  manner  The  lads  crowd  round  and 
place  their  fists  endways  the  one  on  the  other  till  they 
form  a  high  pile  of  hands.  Then  a  boy  who  has  one 
hand  free,  knocks  the  piled  fists  off  one  by  one,  saying1 
to  every  boy  as  he  strikes  his  fists  away,  "What's 
there,  Dump  ?"  He  continues  this  process  till  he  comes 
to  the  last  fist,  when  he  exclaims, 

What's  there? — Cheese  and  bread  and  a  moldy  half- 
penny ! 

Where's  my  share  ? — I  put  it  on  the  shelf,  and  the  cat 
got  it 


Where's  the  cat? — She's  sun  nine  miles  through  th« 
wood. 


228 NURSERY  RHYMES. 

Where's  the  wood  ?— T'  fire  burnt  it. 

Where's  the  fire  ? — T'  water  sleckt  [extinguished]  it. 

Where's  the  water  ? — T'  oxen  drunk  it. 

Where's  the  oxen  ? — T'  butcher  kill'd  'em. 

Where's  the  butcher  ? 

Upon  the  church-top  cracking  nuts,  and  you  may  go 
and  eat  the  shells;  and  them  as  speak  first  shall 
have  nine  nips,  nine  scratches,  and  nine  boxes  over 
the  lug  I 

Every  one  then  endeavors  to  refrain  from  speaking, 
in  spite  of  mutual  nudges  and  grimaces,  and  he  who 
first  allows  a  word  to  escape  is  punished  by  the  others 
in  the  various  methods  adopted  by  schoolboys.  In 
some  places  the  game  is  played  differently.  The 
children  pile  their  fists  in  the  manner  described  above, 
then  one,  or  sometimes  all  of  them,  sing, 

I've  built  my  house,  I've  built  my  wall: 
I  don't  care  where  my  chimneys  fall ! 

The  merriment  consists  in  the  bustle  and  confusion 
occasioned  by  the  rapid  withdrawal  of  the  hands 


THIS  game  is  now  played  as  follows:  A  child  hides 
something  in  one  hand,  and  then  places  both  fists  end- 
ways on  each  other,  crying, 

Handy-dandy  riddledy  ro, 
Which  will  you  have,  high  or  low ; 
Or  sometimes  the  following  distich : 

Handy-dandy,  Jack-a-dandy, 
Which  good  hand  will  you  have  ?" 
The  party  addressed  either  touches  one  hand,    or 
guesses  in  which  one  the  article  (whatever  it  may  be)  is 
placed.     If  he  guesses  rightly,  he  wins  its  contents;  if 
wrongly,  he  loses  an  equivalent. 
Some  versions  read  "  Handy-pandy  "  In  the  first  of  these,  with  an- 


GAMES.  229 


other  variation  that  would  not  now  be  tolerated.  This  is  one  of  the 
oldest  English  games  in  existence,  and  appears  to  be  alluded  to  in 
"Piers  Ploughman,"  ed.  Wright,  p.  69: 

' '  Thanne  wowede  Wrong 

Wisdom  ful  yerne, 

To  maken  pees  with  his  pens, 

Handy-dandy  played." 


GAME    OF    THE    CAT. 

THIS  is  another  slate  game,  in  which,  by  means  of  a 
tale  and  appropriate  indications  on  the  slate,  a  rude 
figure  of  a  cat  is  delineated.  It  requires,  however, 
some  little  ingenuity  to  accomplish  it. 

Tommy  would  once  go  to  see  his  cousin  Charles. 
[Here  one  draws  T  for  Tommy,  and  C  for  Charles, 
forming  the  forehead,  nose,  and  mouth  of  the  cat.] 
But  before  he  went,  he  would  make  walls  to  his  house. 
[Here  he  draws  lines  from  the  arms  of  the  T  to  its  foot, 
forming  the  cheeks  of  the  cat.]  But  then  it  smoked, 
and  he  would  put  chimneys  to  it.  [Here  he  inserts  two 
narrow  triangles  on  each  arm  of  the  T,  forming  the 
ears  of  the  cat.]  But  then  it  was  so  dark,  he  would 
put  windows  into  it.  [Here  he  draws  a  small  circle 
under  each  arm  of  the  T,  forming  the  eyes.  ]  Then  to 
make  it  pretty,  he  would  spread  grass  at  the  door. 
[Here  he  scratches  lines  at  the  foot  of  the  T,  represent- 
ing the  cat's  whiskers.]  Then  away  he  went  on  his 
journey,  but  after  a  little  while,  down  he  fell.  [Here 
he  draws  down  a  line  a  little  way  from  the  foot  of  the 
T.]  But  he  soon  climbed  up  again.  [Here  he  draws  a 
zigzag  horizontally  from  the  foot  of  the  last  line,  and 
draws  one  up,  forming  with  the  last  movement  the  first 
foot  of  the  cat.]  Then  he  walks  along  again,  but  soon 
falls  down  once  more.  [Here  he  draws  a  short  hori- 
zontal line,  and  one  downwards.]  He  soon,  however, 


280 NURSEKY  KffYMES. 

got  up  again,  as  before,  &c.  [The  second  leg  is  then 
formed,  and  by  similar  movements  the  four  legs  of  the 
cat  appear.]  After  thus  falling  down  four  times,  Tom- 
my determined  to  proceed  more  firmly,  and  climbing 
up,  he  walks  along  [the  back  of  the  cat]  another  way 
round  till  he  comes  to  C.  His  journey  is  now  accom- 
plished, and  an  animal,  called  by  courtesy  a  cat,  appears 
on  the  slate,  "the  admiration  of  all  beholders." 


THE   OLD    GAME    OF    HONEY-POTS. 

ONE  of  the  players  must  be  selected  to  act  the  part 
of  a  Honey  Merchant,  another  to  come  as  a  Purchaser 
to  the  honey  stores.  These  two  should  be  the  tallest 
and  strongest  of  the  party. 

The  rest  of  the  party  represent  pots  of  honey.  They 
must  clasp  their  hands  under  their  raised  knees,  sitting 
in  a  row  on  the  grass.  Then  the  game  proceeds  thus: 

The  purchaser  approaches  the  merchant  and  asks, 
"  Have  you  any  good  honey  for  sale,  friend?" 

Honey  Merchant.  Yes,  ma'am  [or  sir],  first-rate. 
This  pot  is  from  Mount  Hybla,  the  finest  honey  in  the 
world;  tastes  of  thyme,  I  assure  you.  This  one  is  from 
Sicily,  quite  as  good  as  any  you  would  get  at  Fortnum 
and  Mason's.  Taste  and  try  before  you  buy. 

The  purchaser  goes  round  and  pretends  to  taste  the 
honey. 

Purchaser  (shaking  his  head].  Not  very  good.  I 
see  that  everything  Greek  is  best  ancient.  Ah !  I  like 
this  Sicilian  jar.  How  much  will  you  sell  it  for? 

Honey  Merchant.     A  shilling  a  pound. 

Purchaser.     What  does  the  jar  weigh? 

Honey  Merchant.  We  will  see,  sir,  if  you  will  be 
good  enough  to  help  me. 

Then  they  take  hold  of  the  arms  of  the  Sicilian  jar 


GAMES.  231 


(who  must  hold  her  hands  very  tightly  clasped  under 
her  knees),  and  swing  her  backwards  and  forwards  till 
she  is  obliged  to  let  her  hands  drop  apart  and  her  feet 
touch  the  ground.  She  is  then  said  to  weigh  as  many 
pounds  as  she  has  been  times  swung  backwards  and 
forwards. 

Purchaser  may  object  to  the  weight,  and  choose  an- 
other pot;  and  thus  the  game  goes  on,  till  each  jar  has 
had  a  swing,  and  taken  part  in  the  sport. 


GAME    OF    THE    FOX. 

ONE  child  is  Fox.  He  has  a  knotted  handkerchief, 
and  a  home  to  which  he  may  go  whenever  he  is  tired; 
but  while  out  of  home  he  must  always  hop  on  one  leg. 
The  other  children  are  Geese,  and  have  no  home. 
When  the  fox  is  coming  out  he  says, 

The  fox  gives  warning 
It's  a  cold  frosty  morning. 

After  he  has  said  these  words  he  is  at  liberty  to  hop 
out,  and  use  his  knotted  handkerchief.  Whoever  he 
can  touch  is  fox  instead;  but  the  geese  run  on  two  legs; 
and  if  the  fox  puts  his  other  leg  down,  he  is  hunted 
back  to  his  home. 


ELEVENTH  CLASS. 

Paradoxes. 

IN  a  cottage  in  Fife 

Lived  a  man  and  his  wife, 
Who,  believe  me,  were  comical  folk; 

For  to  people's  surprise, 

They  both  saw  with  their  eyes, 
And  their  tongues  moved  whenever  they  spoke ! 

When  quite  fast  asleep, 

I've  been  told  that,  to  keep 
Their  eyes  open  they  scarce  could  contrive: 

They  walked  on  their  feet, 

And  't  was  thought  what  they  eat 
Helped,  with  drinking,  to  keep  them  alive! I 


PARADOXES. 


233 


The  following  is  quoted  in  Parkin's  reply  to  Dr.  Stukeley's  second  num- 
ber of  "  Origines  Roystonianse, "  4to,  London,  1748,  p.  vi. 

PETER  WHITE  will  ne'er  go  right: 
Would  you  know  the  reason  why? 

He  follows  his  nose  where'er  he  goes, 
And  that  stands  all  awry. 


O  THAT    I  was  where   I  would  be, 
Then  would  I  be  where  I  am  not! 
But  where  I  am  I  must  be, 
And  where  I  would  be,  I  cannot. 


1 1  SAW  a  ship  a-sailing, 
A- sailing  on  the  sea; 


And,  oh !    it  was  all  laden 
With   pretty  things  for 
thee! 


234 


NUESERY  RHYMES. 


There  were  comfits  in  the  cabin» 

And  apples  in  the  hold; 
The  sails  were  made  of  silk, 

And  the  masts   were  made  of  gold. 


The  four- and- twenty  sailors 
That  stood  between  the  decks 


PARADOXES. 


235 


Were  four- and -twenty  white  mice, 
With  chains  about  their  necks. 


Th«  captain  was  a  duck, 
With  a  packet  on  his  back; 

And  when  the  ship  began  to  move, 
The  captain  said,  "Quack I  quack!" 


I  WOULD  if  I  cou'd, 

If  I  cou'dn't  how  cou'd  I? 

I  cou'dn't,  without  I  cou'd,  cou'd  I? 

Cou'd  you,  without  jrm  cou'd,  cou'd  ye? 

Ccfc'dye,  cou'd 'ye? 

Cou'd  you,  without  you  cou'd,  cou'd  y«? 


236  NURSER  Y  RHYMES. 


The  following  was  sung  to  the  tune  of  Chevy  Chase.  It  was  taken 
from  a  poetical  tale  in  the  '-Choyce  Poems,"  I2mo.  London,  1662,  the 
music  to  which  may  be  seen  in  D'Urfey's  "Pills  to  Purge  Melancholy," 
1719,  Vol,  IV.,  p.  i. 

THREE  children  sliding  on  the  ice 

Upon  a  summer's  day, 
As  it  fell  out  they  all  fell  in, 

The  rest  they  ran  away. 


PARADOXES.  237 


Now,  had  these  children  been  at  home, 
Or  sliding  on  dry  ground, 
Ten  thousand  pounds  to  one  penny 
They  had  not  all  been  drowned. 

You  parents  all  that  children  have, 
And  you  that  have  got  none, 

If  you  would  have  them  safe  abroad, 
Pray  keep  them  safe  at  home. 


THERE  was  a  little  Guinea-pig, 
Who,  being  little,  was  not  big; 
He  always  walked  upon  his  feet, 
And  never  fasted  when  he  eat. 

When  from  a  place  he  ran  away, 
He  never  at  that  place  did  stay; 
And  while  he  ran,  as  I  am  told, 
He  ne'er  stood  still  for  young  or  old. 

He   often  squeaked,  and  sometimes  vi'lent, 
And  when  he  squeaked  he  ne'er  was  silent: 
Though  ne'er  instructed  by  a  cat, 
He  knew  a  mouse  was  not  a  rat. 

One  day,  as  I  am  certified, 
He  took  a  whim  and  fairly  died; 
And,  as  I'm  told  by  men  of  sense, 
He  never  has  been  living  since ! 


I  SAW  a  peacock  with  a  fiery  tail, 
I  saw  a  blazing  comet  drop  down  hail, 
I  saw  a  cloud  wrapped  with  ivy  round, 
I  saw  an  oak  creep  upon  the  ground, 
."  paw  a  pismire  swallow  up  a  whale, 
I  sa\\  the  sea  brimful  of  ale. 


238 NURSERY  RHYMES. 

I  saw  a  Venice  glass  full  fifteen  feet  deep, 

I  saw  a  well  full  of  men's  tears  that  weep, 

I  saw  red  eyes  all  of  a  flaming  fire, 

I  saw  a  house  bigger  than  the  moon  and  higher, 

I  saw  the  sun  at  twelve  o'clock  at  night, 

I  saw  the  man  that  saw  this  wondrous  sight. 


THERE  was  a  man  of  Newington, 
And  he  was  wondrous  wise, 

He  jumped  into  a  quickset  hedge, 
And  scratched  out  both  his  eyes; 

But  when  he  saw  his  eyes  were  out, 
With  all  his  might  and  main 

He  jumped  into  another  hedge 
And  scratched  'em  in  again. 


IF  all  the  world  was  apple  pie, 

And  all  the  sea  was  ink, 
And  all  the  trees  were  bread  and  cheese, 

What  should  we  have  for  drink? 


PARADOXES. 


239 


The  conclusion  of  the  following  resembles  a  verse  in  the  nursery  history 
of  Mother  Hubbard. 

THERE  was  an  old  woman,  and  what  do  you  think? 
She  lived  upon  nothing  but  victuals  and  drink: 
Victuals  and  drink  were  the  chief  of  her  diet; 
This  tiresome  old  woman  could  never  be  quiet. 
She  went  to  the  baker,  to  buy  her  some  bread, 
And  when  she  cam  e  home  her  old  husband  was  dead ; 
She  went  to  the  clerk  to  toll  the  bell, 
And  when  she  came  back  her  old  husband  was  well. 


THE  man  in  the  wilderness  asked  me, 
How  many  strawberries  grew  in  the  sea? 
I  answered  him  as  I  thought  good, 
As  many  as  red  herrings  grew  in  the  wood. 


240 


NURSER  Y  RHYMES. 


THERE  was  a  man  and  he 

was  mad, 
And  he  jumped  into  a  pea- 

swad; 

The  pea-swad  was  over- 
full, 

So  he  jumped  into  a  roar- 
ing bull; 


PARADOXES. 


241 


The  roaring  bull  was  over-fat, 

So  he  jumped  into  a  gentleman's  hat; 


242 


NUSEE7  RHYMERS. 


The  gentleman's  hat  was  over-fine, 
So  he  jumped  into  a  bottle  of  wine; 
The  bottle  of  wine  was  over- dear, 
So  he  jumped  into  a  barrel  of  beer; 
The  barrel  of  beer  was  over- thick, 
So  he  jumped  into  a  club-stick; 


PARADOXES. 


243 


244 


NUESEET  RHYMES. 


The  club- stick  was  over-narrow, 

So  he  jumped  into  a  wheelbarrow; 

The  wheelbarrow  began  to  crack, 

So  he  jumped  on  to  a  hay-stack; 

The  hay- stack  began  to  blaze, 

So  he  did  nothing  but  cough  and  sneeze ! 


PARADOXES. 


245 


246  NUfiSER Y  RE YMES. 


THERE  was  an  old  woman  had  nothing, 
And  there  came  thieves  to  rob  her; 

When  she  cried  out  she  made  no  noise, 
But  all  the  country  heard  her. 


UP  stairs,  down  stairs,  upon  my  lady's  window, 
There  I  saw  a  cup  of  sack  and  a  race  of  ginger; 
Apples  at  the  fire  and  nuts  to  crack, 
A  little  boy  in  the  cream-pot  up  to  his  neck. 


TOBACCO  wick!  tobacco  wick! 

When  you're  well,  'twill  make  you  sick; 

Tobacco  wick!  tobacco  wick! 

'Twill  make  you  well  when  you  are  sick. 


BARNEY  BODKIN  broke  his  nose, 
Without  feet  we  can't  have  toes; 
Crazy  folks  are  always  mad, 
Want  of  money  makes  us  sad. 


IF  a  man  who  turnips  cri«8 
Cries  not  when  his  fath«c  diet, 
It  is:  a  proof  tjaat  he  \wjcJd-  ratlwr 
Have  a  ttirnip  than  his  father. 


PARADOXES.  247 


MY  true  love  lives  far  from  me, 

Perrie,  Merrie,  Dixie,  Dominie. 
Many  a  rich  present  he  sends  to  me, 

Petrum,  Partrum,  Paradise  Temporie. 
Perrie,  Merrie,  Dixie,  Dominie. 
He  sent  me  a  goose  without  a  bone; 
He  sent  me  a  cherry  without  a  stone. 

Petrum,  &c. 

He  sent  me  a  Bible  no  man  could  read; 
He  sent  me  a  blanket  without  a  thread. 

Petrum,  &c. 

How  could  there  be  a  goose  without  a  bone? 
How  could  there  be  a  cherry  without  a  stone? 

Petrum,  &c. 

How  could  there  be  a  Bible  no  man  could  read? 
How  could  there  be  a  blanket  without  a  thread? 

Petrum,  &c. 
When  the  goose  is  in  the  egg-shell,  there  is  no  bone; 

When  the  cherry  is  in  the  blossom,  there  is  no  stone. 

Petrum,  &c. 

When  ye  Bible  is  in  ye  press,  no  man  it  can  read; 
When  y*  \sool  is  on  y6  sheep's  back,  there  is  no  thread. 

Petrum,  &c. 


HERE  am  I 

Little  jumping  loan; 
When  nobody's  with  me, 

I'm  always  alone. 


TWELFTH  CLASS. 

Cullabics. 

ROCK-A-BYE,  baby,  thy  cradle  is  green; 

Father's  a  nobleman,  mother's  a  Queen; 

And  Betty's  a  lady,  and  wears  a  gold  ring ! 

And  Johnny's  a  drummer,  and  drums  for  the  King. 


RIDE,  baby,  ride, 
Pretty  baby  shall  ride, 
And  have  a  little  puppy-dog  tied 

to  her  side, 
And  little  pussy-cat  tied  to  the 

other, 

And  away  she  shall  ride  to  see  her 
grandmother, 

To  see  her  grandmother, 
To  see  her  grandmother. 


From  "  The  Pleasant  Comcedie  of  Patient  Grissell,' 
HUSH,  hush,  hush,  hush! 
And  I  dance  mine  own  child, 
And  I  dance  mine  own  child, 
Hush,  hush,  hush,  hush! 


1603. 


LULLABIES. 


249 


BYE,  baby  bunting, 

Daddy's  gone  a-hunt- 
ing, 

To  get  a  little  hare's 
skin 

To  wrap  a  baby  bunt- 
ing in. 


GIVE  me  a  blow,  and 

I'll  beat  'em, 
Why  did  they  vex 

my  baby? 
Kissy,  kiss,  kissy,  my 

honey, 

And    cuddle    your 
nurse,  my  deary. 


TOM  shall  have  a  new  bonnet, 
With  blue  ribbons  to  tie  on  it, 
With  a  hush-a-bye  and  a  lull-a-baby, 
Why  so  like  to  Tommy's  daddy? 


250 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


MY  dear  cockadoodle,  my  jewel,  my  joy, 

My  darling,  my  honey,  my  pretty  sweet  boy; 

Before  I  do  rock  thee  with  soft  lullaby, 

Give  me  thy  dear  lips  to  be  kissed,  kissed,  kissed. 


BYE,  O  my  baby ! 
When  I  was  a  lady, 
Oh,   then  my  poor  baby 
didn't  cry. 


But  my  baby  is  weeping 
For  want  of  good  keeping, 
Oh,  I  fear  my  poor  baby 
will  die! 


LULLABIES. 


251 


HEY,  my  kitten,  my  kitten, 
And  hey,  my  kitten,  my  deary  I 

Such  a  sweet  pet  as  this 
Was  neither  far  nor  neary. 

Here  we  go  up,  up,  up, 

And  here  we  go  down,  down,  downy, 
And  here  we  go  backwards  and  forwards, 

And  here  we  go  round,  round,  roundy. 


ROCK  well  my  cradle, 
And  "bee  baa,"  my  son; 

You  shall  have  a  new  gown 
When  y6  lord  comes  home. 

Oh !  still  my  child,  Orange, 

Still  him  with  a  bell; 
I  can't  still  him,  ladie, 

Till  you  come  down  yoursell! 


252 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


HUSH-A-BYE,  baby,  on  the  tree-top, 
When  the  wind  blows  the  cradle  will  rock; 
When  the  bough  bends  the  cradle  will  fall, 
Down  will  come  baby,  bough,  cradle,  and  all. 


HUSH-A-BYE,  a  ba  lamb, 
Hush-a-bye  a  milk  cow, 

You  shall  have  a  little  stick 
To    beat    the     naughty 
bowwow. 


BYE,  baby  bumpkin, 
Where's  Tony  Lumpkin? 
My  lady's  on  her  death-bed, 
With  eating  half  a  pump- 
kin. 


LVLLA1UES. 


253 


HUSH  thee,  my  babby, 
Lie  still  with  thy  daddy, 

Thy  mammy  has  gone  to  the  mill 
To  grind  thee  some  wheat, 
To  make  thee  some  meat, 

And  so,  my  dear  babby,  lie  still. 


DANCE  to  your  daddy, 
My  little  babby, 
Dance  to  your  daddy, 
My  little  lamb. 


You  shall  have  a  fishy 
In  a  little  dishy ; 
You  shall  have  a  fishy 
When  the  boat  comes  in. 


254 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


From  Yorkshire.     A  nursery  cry. 

RABBIT,  rabbit,  rabbit  pie! 
Come,  my  ladies,  come  and  buy; 
Else  your  babies  they  will  cry. 


I  WON'T  be  my  father's  Jack, 
I  won't  be  my  mother's  Gill, 
I  will  be  the  fiddler's  wife, 
And  have  music  when  I  will. 
T'  other  little  tune, 
T'  other  little  tune, 
Pr'ythee,  love,  play  me 
T'  other  little  tune. 


LULLABIES. 


255 


From  Yorkshire  and  Essex.  A  nursery  cry.  It  is  also  sometimes 
sung  in  the  streets  by  boys  who  have  small  figures  of  wool,  wood,  or 
gypsum,  &c.,  of  lambs  to  sell. 

YOUNG  Lambs  to  sell! 

Young  Lambs  to  sell ! 
If  I'd  as  much  money  as  I  can  tell, 
I  never  would  cry — Young  Lambs  to  sell! 


DANTY  baby  diddy, 

What  can  a  mammy  do  wid'e, 
But  sit  in  a  lap, 
And  give  'un  a  pap? 

Sing  danty,  baby  diddy. 


256 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


A  favorite  lullaby  in  the  North  of  England  fifty  years  ago,  and  perhaps 
still  heard.     The  last  word  is  pronounced  bee. 


HUSH-A-BYE,  lie  still  and 

sleep, 
It  grieves  me  sore  to  see 

thee  weep, 
For  when  thou  weep'st 

thou  wearies  me, 
Hush-a-bye,  lie  still  and 

bye. 


DANCE,  little  baby,  dance 

up  high, 
Never  mind,  baby,  mother 

is  by; 
Crow  and  caper,  caper  and 

crow, 
There,    little  baby,  there 

you  go; 
Up  to  the  ceiling,  down  to 

the  ground, 
Backwards  and  forwards, 

round  and  round; 
Dance,    little    baby,     and 

mother  will  sing, 
With     the    merry     coral, 

ding,  ding,  ding! 


To  market,  to  market, 

To  buy  a  plum  cake. 
Home  again,  home  again, 

Ne'er  a  one  baked; 
The  baker  is  dead  and  all  his  men, 
And  we  must  go  to  market  again. 


LULLABIES. 


HUSKY  baby,  my  doll,  I  pray  you  don't  cry, 
And  I'll  give  you  some  bread  and  some  milk  by-and-bye; 
Or  perhaps  you  like  custard,  or  maybe  a  tart, — 
Then  to  either  you're  welcome,  with  all  my  whole  heart. 


The  following  is  quoted  in  Florio's 
"New  World  of  Words,"  fol.,  London, 
1611,  p.  3. 

To  market,  to  market, 
To  buy  a  plum  bun ; 

Home  again,  come  again, 
Market  is  done. 


THIRTEENTH   CLASS. 

Jingles. 


HEY  ding  a  ding,  what  shall  I  sing? 
How  many  holes  in  a  skimmer? 
Four  and  twenty, — my  stomach  is  empty; 
Pray,  mamma,  give  me  some  dinner. 

[258] 


JINGLES. 


The  first  line  of  the  following  is  the  burden  of  a  song  in  the  "Tem- 
pest," Act  I.  sc.  2,  and  also  of  one  in  the  «<  Merchant  of  Venice,"  Act 
III.  sc.  2. 


DING,  dong  bell, 
Pussy's  in  the  well ; 
Who  put  her  in  ? 


Little  Tommy  Lin. 
Who  pulled  her  out  ? — 
Dog  with  long  snout. 


260      NURSE E  Y  RE YMES. 

What  a  naughty  boy  was  that 
To  drown  poor  pussy-cat, 
Who  never  did  any  harm, 
But  killed  the  mice  in  his  father's  barn. 


SING  jigmijole,  the  pudding-bowl, 
The  table  and  the  frame; 

My  master  he  did  cudgel  me 
For  speaking  of  my  dame. 


DEEDLE,  deedle,  dumpling,  my  son  John 
Went  to  bed  with  his  trowsers  on; 
One  shoe  off,  the  other  shoe  on, 
Deedle,  deedle,  dumpling,  my  son  John. 


DIDDLEDY,  diddledy, 

dumpty : 

The  cat  ran  up  the  plum- 
tree. 

I'll  lay  you  a  crown 
I'll  fetch  you  down; 
So  diddledy,  diddledy, 
dumpty. 


SEE-SAW,  Jack  in  a  hedge, 

Which  is  the  way  to   London  Bridge? 

One  foot  up,  the  other  down, 

That  is  the  way  to  London  town. 


HEY  diddle,  dinketty,  poppety,  pet, 
The  merchants  of  London  they  wear  scarlet; 
Silk  in  the  collar,  and  gold  in  the  hem, 
So  merrily  march  the  merchantmen. 


JINGLES. 


261 


SING,  sing,  what  shall  I  sing? 
The  cat  has  ate  the  pudding-string! 
Do,  do,  what  shall  I  do? 
The  cat  has  bit  it  quite  in  two. 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


I  do  not  know  whether  the  following  may  have  reference  to  the  gam* 
of  handy-dandy  mentioned  in  "King  Lear,"  Act  IV.  sc.  6,  and  in 
Florio's  "New  World  of  Words,"  1611,  p.  57. 

HANDY  Spandy,  Jack-a-dandy, 
Loved  plum  cake  and  sugar-candy; 
He  bought  some  at  a  grocer's  shop, 
And  out  he  came,  hop,  hop,  hop. 


HYDER  iddle  diddle  dell, 
A  yard  of  pudding  is  not  an  ell; 
Not  forgetting  tweddle-dye, 
A  tailor's  goose  will  never  fly. 


GILLY  Silly  Jarter,  The  miller  found  it, 

Who  has  lost  a  garter,  The  miller  ground  it, 

In  a  shower  of  rain  ?  And  the  miller  gave  it  to 
Silly  again. 

FEEDUM,  fiddledum  fee,  Or  I'll  crack  your  crown, 

The  cat's  got  into  the  tree.  And  toss  you  into  the  sea. 
Pussy,  come  down, 


JINGLES. 


DIBBITY,  dibbity,  dibbity,      Dibbity    dibbity,   dibbity, 

doe,  ditter, 

Give  me  a  pancake  Please  to  give  me 

And  1 11  go.  A  bit  of  a  fritter. 

TWEEDLE-DUM  and  Tweedle-dee 

Resolved  to  have  a  battle, 
For  Tweedle-dum  said  Tweedle-dee 

Had  spoiled  his  nice  new  rattle. 
Just  then  flew  by  a  monstrous  crow, 

As  big  as  a  tar-barrel, 
Which  frightened  both  the  heroes  so, 

They  quite  forgot  their  quarrel. 


HUB  a  dub  dub,  The  butcher,  the  baker, 

Three  men  in  a  tub;  The  candlestick  maker; 

And    who   do  you  think  Turn  'em  out  knaves  all 

they  be?  three! 

TIDDLE  liddle  lightum,  Tiddle  liddle  lightum, 

Pitch  and  tar :  What's  that  for? 


264  NURSER  Y  RHYMES. 


HIGH,  ding,  cockatoo-moody, 

Make  a  bed  in  a  barn,  I  will  come  to  thee; 

High  ding,  straps  of  leather, 

Two  little  puppy-dogs  tied  together; 

One  by  the  head,  and  one  by  the  tail, 

And  over  the  water  these  puppy-dogs  sail. 

DOODLEDY,  doodledy,  doodledy,  dan, 
111  have  a  piper  to  be  my  good  man; 
And  if  I  get  less  meat,  I  shall  get  game, 
Doodledy,  doodledy,  doodledy,  dan. 

LITTLE  Tee  Wee,  And  while  afloat 

He  went  to  sea  The  little  boat  bended, 

In  an  open  boat;  And  my  story's  ended. 

FIDDLE-DE-DEE,  fiddle-de-dee, 

The  fly  shall  marry  the  humble-bee. 

They  went  to  the  church,  and  married  was  she, 

The  fly  has  married  the  humble-bee. 


DOODLE  doodle  doo,  The  fiddler  stopped, 

The  Princess  lost  her  shoe;      Not  knowing  what  to  do. 
Her  Highness  hopped,  — 


JINGLES. 


PUSSICAT,  wussicat,  with  a  white  foot, 
When  is  your  wedding?  for  I'll  come  to  't. 
The  beer's  to  brew,  the  bread's  to  bake, 
Pussy-cat,  pussy-cat,  don't  be  too  late. 


ROMPTY  iddity,  row,  row,  row, 

If  I  had  a  good  supper,  I  could  eat  it  now. 


COME,  dance  a  jig 
To  my  granny's  pig, 

With     a     raudy,     rowdy, 

dowdy ; 

Come  dance  a  jig 
To  my  granny's  pig, 

And  pussy-cat  shall  crowdy. 


266 


NUB8EST  RHYMES. 


HICKETY,  dickety,  dock, 
The  mouse  ran    up    the 

clock; 

The  clock  struck  one, 
Down  the  mouse  ran, 
Hickety,  dickety,  dock. 


LITTLE  Dicky  Dilver 
Had  a  wife  of  silver, 
He  took  a  stick  and  broke 

her  back, 

And  sold    her     to   the 
.=..;         miller; 
The    miller    wouldn't 

have  her, 
So  he  threw  her  in  the 


THERE  was  an  old  sol- 
dier of  Bister 
Went  walking-  one  day 

with  his  sister, 
When  a  cow  at  one  poke 
Tossed  her  into  an  oak, 
Before  the  old  gentle- 
man missed  her. 


JINGLES. 


A  CAT  came  fiddling  out  of  a  barn, 

With  a  pair  of  bagpipes  under  her  arm; 

She  could  sing  nothing  but  fiddle  cum   fee, 

The  mouse  has  married  the  bumble-bee ! 

Pipe,  cat;  dance,  mouse: 

We'll  have  a  wedding  at  our  good  house. 


OLD  woman,  old  woman,  shall  we  go  a- shearing? 
Speak  a  little  louder,  sir, — I  am  very  thick  of  hearing; 
Old  woman,  old  woman,  shall  I  love  you  dearly? 
Thank  you,  kind  sir..  I  hear  you  very  clearly. 

THERE  was  an  old  woman,  her  name  it  was  Peg; 
Her  head  was  of  wood,  and  she  wore  a  cork  leg. 
The  neighbors  all  pitched  her  into  the  water, 
Her  leg  was  drowned  first,  and  her  head  followed  a'ter. 


£68 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


LITTLE  Polly  Flinders, 
Sat  among  the  cinders, 

Warming  her  pretty  toes-; 
Her  mother  came  and  caught  her, 
And  scolded  her  little  daughter, 

For  spoiling  her  nice  new  clothes. 


JINGLES. 


THERE  was  an  old  woman  who  lived  in  a 

shoe, 
She  had  so  many  children  she  didn't  know 

what  to  do; 
She  gave  them  some  broth  without  any 

bread, 
She  whipped  them  all  well  and  put  them 

to  bed. 


LITTLE  Jack  a  Dandy 
Wanted  sugar -can- 

dy, 

And  fairly  for  it 

cried ; 

But  little  Billy  Cook, 
Who     always    reads 

his  book, 
Shall  have  a  horse 

to  ride. 


270 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


HEY!  diddle  diddle, 

The  cat  and  the  fiddle, 
The  cow  jumped  over  the  moon; 

The  little  dog  laughed 

To  see  the  sport, 
While  the  dish  ran  after  the  spoon. 


JINGLES. 


271 


dorolot,  dorolot! 
Hey,  dorolay,  dorolay' 
Hey,  my  bonny  boat,  bonny  boat, 
Hey,  drag  away,  drag  away ! 


272 


N  URSER  Y  RHYMES. 


THERE  was  an  old  woman  sat  spinning, 
And  that's  the  first  beginning; 
She  had  a  calf,  and  that's  half; 


JINGLES. 


273 


She  took  it  by  the  tail, 
And  threw  it  over  the  wall, 
And  that's  all. 


DING,  dong,  darrow, 

The  cat  and  the  sparrow; 

The  little  dog  has  burnt  his  tail, 

And  he  shall  be  hanged    to-morrow. 


274 NURSERY  RHYMES. 

Magotty-pie  is  given  in  MS.  Lands  1033,  fol.  2,  as  a  Wiltshire  word 
for  a  magpie.  See  also  "Macbeth,"  Act  III.  sc.  4.  The  same  term 
occurs  in  the  dictionaries  of  Hollyband,  Cotgrave,  and  Minsheu. 

ROUND  about,  round  about,      My  father  loves  good  ale, 
Magotty-pie,  And  so  do  I. 


COCK  a  doodle  doo ! 

My  dame  has  lost  her  shoe; 

My  master's  lost  his  fiddling-stick, 

And  don't  know  what  to  do. 

Cock  a  doodle  doo ! 

What  is  my  dame  to  do? 

Till  master  finds  his  fiddling- stick, 

She'll  dance  without  her  shoe. 


JINGLES. 


275 


276 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


JINGLES. 


277 


278 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


Cock  a  doodle  doo! 

My  dame  has  lost  her  shoe, 

And  master's  found  his  fiddling- stick, 

Sing  doodle  doodle  doo! 

Cock  a  doodle  doo ! 
My  dame  will  dance  with  you, 
While  master  fiddles  his  fiddling- stick, 
For  dame  and  doodle  doo. 

Cock  a  doodle  doo ! 

Dame  has  lost  her  shoe; 

Gone  to  bed  and  scratched  her  head. 

And  can't  tell  what  to  do. 


OLD  Dame  Widdle  Wad. 
die 

Jumped  out  of  bed, 
And  out  at  the  casement 

She  popped  her  head, 
Crying,  The  house  is  on 
fire, 

The  grey  goose  dead 
And  the  fox  he  is 

Come  to  town,  oh! 


"FIRE!  fire!"  said  the  town  crier; 
"Where?  where?"  said  Goody  Blair; 
"  Down  the  town,"  said  Goody  Brown; 
"I'll  go  and  see  't"  said  Goody  Fleet; 
"  So  will  I,"  said  Goody  Fry. 


JINGLES.  279 


To  market,  to  market,  to  buy  a  fat  pig, 
Home  again,  home  again,  dancing  a  jig; 

Ride  to  the  market  to  buy  a  fat  hog, 
Home  again,  home  again,  jiggety-jog. 

Is  John  Smith  within?  Here   a  nail  and  there  a 

Yes,  that  he  is.  nail, 

Can  he  set  a  shoe?  Tick,  tack,  too. 

Ay,  marry,  two;  

Our  collection  of  nursery  jingles  may  appropriately  be  concluded  with 
the  Quaker's  commentary  on  one  of  the  greatest  favorites — "Hey! 
diddle  diddle."  We  have  endeavored,  as  far  as  practicable,  to  remove 
every  line  from  the  present  addition  that  could  offend  the  most  fastidious 
ear;  but  the  following  annotations  on  a  song  we  cannot  be  induced  to 
omit,  would  appear  to  suggest  that  our  endeavors  are  scarcely  likely  to 
be  attended  with  success. 

HEY  !  diddle  diddle, 
The  cat  and  the  fiddle — 

"Yes,  thee  may  say  that,  for  that  is  nonsense." 

The  cow  jumped  over  the  moon — 

"Oh  no!  Mary,  thee  mustn't  say  that,  for  that  is  a  falsehood;  thee 
knows  a  cow  could  never  jump  over  the  moon;  but  a  cow  may  jump 
under  it;  so  thee  ought  to  say — 'The  cow  jumped  under  the  moon.'" 
Yes,— 

The  cow  jumped  under  the  moon; 

The  little  dog  laughed — 

"Oh,  Mary,  stop.  How  can  a  little  dog  laugh?  thee  knows  a  little 
dog  can't  laugh.  Thee  ought  to  say — '  The  little  dog  barked'  " — 

To  see  the  sport, 

And  the  dish  ran  after  the  spoon — 

"Stop,  Mary,  stop.  A  dish  could  never  run  after  a  spoon;  thee 
ought  to  know  that.  Thee  had  better  say — 'And  the  cat  ran  after  the 
spoon,' "  So, — 

Hey !  diddle  diddle, 

The  cat  and  the  fiddle, 
The  cow  jumped  under  the  moon. 

The  little  dog  barked 

To  see  the  sport, 
And  the  cat  ran  after  the  spoon. 


FOURTEENTH  CLASS. 

natural  fiistory. 

THE  cuckoo's  a  fine  bird,         He  sucks  little  birds'  eggs, 


He  sings  as  he  flies; 
He  brings  us  good  tidings, 
He  tells  us  no  lies. 


To  make  his  voice  clear, 
And  when  he  sings 

"cuckoo!" 
The  summer  is  near. 


A  provincial  version  of  the  same. 

THE  cuckoo's  a  vine  bird, 

A  zengs  as  a  vlies; 
A  brengs  us  good  tidins, 

And  tells  us  no  lies; 
A  zucks  th'  smael  birds'  eggs, 

To  make  his  voice  clear; 
And    the    mwore    a    cries 
"cuckoo! " 

The  zummer  draws  near. 

[280] 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


281 


CUCKOO,  Cuckoo, 

What  do  you  do? 

In  April 

I  open  my  bill; 

In  May 

I  sing  night  and  day ; 

In  June 

I  change  my  tune ; 

In  July 

Away  I  fly; 

In  August 

Away  I  must. 


IN  the  month  of  February, 

When  green  leaves  begin  to  spring, 
Little  lambs  do  skip  like  fairies, 

Birds  do  couple,  build,  and  sing. 


SEE- SAW,  Margery  Daw, 
The  old  hen  flew  over  the  malt-house; 
She  counted  her  chickens  one  by  one, 
Still  she  missed  the  little  white  one, 
And  this  is  it,  this  is  it,  this  is  it ! 


I'LL  away  yhame, 
And  tell  my  dame 
That  all  my  geese 
Are  gane  but  yane; 


And  it's  a  steg  (gander), 
And  it's  lost  a  leg; 
And  it'll  be  gane 
By  I  yet  yhame. 


282 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


JACK  SPRATT 
Had  a  cat, 
It  had  but  one  ear; 


It  went  to  buy  butter, 
When  butter  was  dear. 


PRETTY  John  Watts, 
We  are  troubled  with  rats, 
Will  you  drive  them  out  of 

the  house  ? 
We   have  mice,    too,    in 

plenty, 

That  feast  in  the  pantry; 
But  let  them  stay, 
And  nibble  away: 
What  harm  in  a  little  brown 
mouse? 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


283 


How  d'  'e,  dogs,  how!  whose  dog  art  thou? 
Little  Tom  Tinker's  dog!  what's  that  to  thou? 
Hiss!  bow,  a  wow,  wow! 

The  Proverb  of  Barnaby  Bright  is  given  by  Ray  and  Brand  as  referring 
to  St.  Barnabas. 

BARNABY  Bright  he  was  a  sharp 

cur, 
He    always    would    bark-  if    a 

mouse  did  but  stir; 
But  now  he's  grown  old,  and 

can  no  longer  bark, 
He's  condemned  by  the  parson 

to  be  hanged  by  the  clerk. 


LITTLE    boy  blue,    come  blow 

your  horn, 
The  sheep's  in  the  meadow,  the 

cow's  in  the  corn. 
Where's  the  little  boy  that  looks 

after  the  sheep? 
He's  under    the    haycock  fast 

asleep. 

Will  you  wake  him?    No,  not  I; 
For  if  I  do,  he'll  be  sure  to  cry. 


284 


NUESEEY  BH7MES. 


LEG  over  leg, 
As  the  dog  went  to 

Dover; 
When  he  came  to  a 

stile, 
Jump!  he  went  over. 


Bow,  wow,  says  the  dog; 

Mew,  mew,  says  the  cat; 
Grunt,  grunt,  goes  the  hog; 

And  squeak  goes  the  rat. 

Tu-whu,  says  the  owl; 

Caw,  caw,  says  the  crow. 
Quack,    quack,    says    the 

duck ; 

And  what  sparrows  say, 
you  know. 

|  So,  with  sparrows  and  owls, 
With  rats  and  with  dogs, 

!  With  ducks  and  with  crows, 
With  cats  and  with  hogs, 

A  fine  song  I  have  made, 
To  please  you,  my  dear; 

And  if  it's  well  sung, 
'T  will  be  charming  to 
hear. 


^ NATURAL  HISTORY. 285 

ROWSTY  dowt,  my  fire's  all  out, 
My  little  dame  is  not  at  home ! 
I'll  saddle  my  cock,  and  bridle  my  hen, 
And  fetch  my  little  dame  home  again! 
Home  she  came,  tritty  trot, 
She  asked  for  the  porridge  she  left  in  the  pot; 
Some  she  ate  and  some  she  shod, 
And  some  she  gave  to  the  truckler's  dog; 
She  took  up  the  ladle  and  knocked  its  head, 
And  now  poor  Dapsy  dog  is  dead! 
GOOSEY,  goosey,  gan- 

der, 

Where  shall  I  wander? 
Upstairs,  downstairs, 
And    in    my    lady's 

chamber; 

There  I  met  an  old  man 
That  would  not   say 

his  prayers; 
I  took  him  by  the  left 

leg, 

And  threw  him  down- 
stairs. 

GOOSEY,  goosey,  gander,         Little  Betsy  Baker; 
Who  stands  yonder  ?  Take  her  up,  and  shake  her. 

HURLY  BURLY,  trumpet  trase, 
The  cow  was  in  the  market-place, 
Some  goes  far,  and  some  goes  near, 
But  where  shall  this  poor  henchman  steer  ? 

RIDDLE  me,  riddle  me,  ree, 
A  hawk  sate  up  on  a  tree; 
And  he  says  to  himself,  says  he, 
Oh  dear!  what  a  fine  bird  I  be! 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


:*'T   ;  •  -  w          **%  _  ?B"KKSr  j^5U 

A"»V^.^  ^^V^J^p'^fK  j"^?** 


THE  sow  came  in  with  the  saddle, 
The  little  pig  rocked  the  cradle, 
The  dish  jumped  over  the  table, 
To  see  the  pot  with  the  ladle. 
The  broom  behind  the  butt 
Called  the  dish-clout  a  nasty  slut: 

Oh!  oh !  says  the  gridiron,  can't  you  agree  ? 

I'm  the  head  constable — come  along  with  me. 


PUSSY-CAT  sits  by  the  fire: 
How  did  she  come  there  ? 

In  walks  the  little  dog- 
Says,  ' '  Pussy !  are  you  there  ? 

How  do  you  do,  Mistress  Pussy  ? 
Mistress  Pussy,  how  d'ye  do  ?" 

"  I  thank  you  kindly,  little  dog, 
I  fare  as  well  as  you!" 


Hussy,  hussy,  where's  your  horse  ? 
Hussy,  hussy,  gone  to  grass! 
Hussy,  hussy,  fetch  him  home, 
Hussy,  hussy,  let  him  alone. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


287 


"WHAT  do  they  call  you?" 
4 'Patchy  Dolly." 
"Where  were  you  born?" 
"  In  the  cow's  horn." 


"Where  were  you  bred?" 
"In  the  cow's  head." 
"  Where  will  you  die?" 
4 '  In  the  cow's  eye. " 


SNAIL,  snail,  shoot  out  your  horns; 

Father  and  mother  are  dead: 
Brother  and  sister  are  in  the  back  yard, 

Begging  for  barley  bread. 


Bird-boy's  Song. 

EAT,  birds,  eat,  and  make  no  waste, 
I  lie  here  and  make  no  haste; 
If  my  master  chance  to  come, 
You  must  fly,  and  I  must  run. 


THE  cat  sat  asleep  by  the  side  of  the 

fire, 

The  mistress  snored  loud  as  a  pig: 
Jack  took  up  his  fiddle,  by  Jenny's 

desire, 

And  struck  up  a  bit 
of  a  jig. 


ON  Christmas  Eve  I  turned  the  spit, 
I  burnt  my  fingers,  I  feel  it  yet. 
The  cock-sparrow  flew  over  the  table. 
The  pot  began  to  play  with  the  ladle. 


ROBIN- A- BOBBIN  bent  his  bow, 
And  shot  at  a  woodcock  and  killed  a  yowe: 
The  yowe  cried  ba,  and  he  ran  away, 
And  never  came  back  till  Midsummer  Day. 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


LONG-TAILED,  pig-,  or  a     A  sow-pig,  or  a  boar-pig, 
short- tailed  pig,  Or  a  pig  with  a  curly  tail. 

Or  a  pig  without  e'er  a  tail, 

LADYBIRD,  ladybird,  fly  away  home, 
Thy  house  is  on  fire,  thy  children  all  gone, 
All  but  one,  and  her  name  is  Ann, 
And  she  crept  under  the  pudding- pan. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


289 


WHY  is  pussy  in  bed,  pray? 
She  is  sick  says  the  fly, 
And  I  fear  she  will  die; 

That's  why  she's  in  bed. 

Pray,  what's  her  disorder? 
She's  got  a  locked  jaw, 
Says  the  little  jackdaw, 

And  that's  her  disorder. 

Who  makes  her  gruel? 
I,  says  the  horse, 
For  I  am  her  nurse, 

And  I  make  her  gruel. 

Pray,  who  is  her  doctor  ? 

Quack,  quack!  says  the 
duck, 

I  that  task  undertook, 
And  I  am  her  doctor. 


Who  thinks  she'll  recover? 
I,  says  the  deer, 
For  I  did  last  year : 

So  I  think  she'll  recover. 


CATCH  him,  crow !  carry  him,  kite ! 
Take  him  away  till  the  apples  are  ripe; 
When  they  are  ripe  and  ready  to  fall, 
Home  comes  [Johnny],  apples  and  all. 


290 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


An  ancient  Suffolk  song  for  a  bad  singer. 

THERE  was  an  old  crow  There's  an  end  of  my  song, 

Sat  upon  a  clod :  That's  odd ! 


I  HAD  a  little  dog,  and  his  name  was  Blue  Bell, 
I  gave  him  some  work,  and  he  did  it  very  well; 
I  sent  him  upstairs  to  pick  up  a  pin, 
He  stepped  in  the  coal-scuttle  up  to  the  chin; 

I  sent  him  to  the  garden  to  pick  some  sage, 
He  tumbled  down  and  fell  in  a  rage ; 
I  sent  him  to  the  cellar  to  draw  a  pot  of  beer, 
He  came  up  again  and  said  there  was  none  there. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


291 


BAH,  bah,  black  sheep, 
Have  you  any  wool? 

Yes,  marry,  have  I, 
Three  bags  full; 


One  for  my  master, 
And  one  for  my  dame, 

But  none  for  the  little  boy 
Who  cries  in  the  lane. 


292 NURSEEY  RHYMES. 


I  LIKE  little  pussy,  her  coat  is  so  warm, 
And  if  I  don't  hurt  her  she'll  do  me  no  harm; 
So  I'll  not  pull  her  tail,  nor  drive  her  away, 
But  pussy  and  I  very  gently  will  play. 


I  HAD  a  little  hobby-horse,  and  it  was  well  shod, 

It  carried  me  to  the  mill-door,  trod,  trod,  trod; 

When  I  got  there  I  gave  a  great  shout, 

Down  came  the  hobby-horse,  and  I  cried  out. 

Fie  upon  the  miller !  he  was  a  great  beast, 

He  would  not  come  to  my  house,  I  made  a  little  feast: 

I  had  but  little,  but  I  would  give  him  some, 

For  playing  of  his  bagpipes  and  beating  his  drum. 

The  Cock,.        LOCK  the  dairy  door, 
Lock  the  dairy  door! 

Tkf  Hen.         Chickle,  chackle,  chee, 
I  have'nt  got  the  key! 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


Imitated  from  a  pigeon. 

CURR  dhoo,  curr  dhoo, 
Love  me,  and  I'll  love  you! 


PITTV  Patty  Polt, 
Shoe  the  wild  colt ! 


Bow,  wow,  wow, 

Whose  dog  art  thou? 
Little   Tom   Tinker's 

dog-, 
s  Bow,  wow,  wow. 


Here  a  nail,  and  there 

nail, 
Pitty  Patty  Polt. 


LITTLE  Robin  Redbreast 

Sat  upon  a  rail : 
Niddle  naddle  went  his  head, 

Wiggle  waggle  went  his  tail. 


294  NUESEE  T  EHYMES. 


LITTLE  Robin  Redbreast  sat  upon  a  tree, 

Up  went  pussy-cat,  and  down  went  he; 

Down  came  pussy-cat,  and  away  Robin  ran; 

Says  little  Robin  Redbreast,  "  Catch  me  if  you  can." 

Little  Robin  Redbreast  jumped  upon  a  wall, 
Pussy-cat  jumped  after  him,  and  almost  got  a  fall; 


NATURAL  HIS  TOE  Y. 


Little  Robin  chirped  and  sang-,  and  what  did  pussy  say? 
Pussy-cat  said  "Mew,"  and  Robin  jumped  away. 

LITTLE  Cock  Robin  peeped  out  of  his  cabin, 
To  see  the  cold  winter  come  in, 

Tit  for  tat,  what  matter  for  that? 

He'll  hide  his  head  under  his  wing! 


THE  dove  says  coo,  coo,  what  shall  I  do? 
I  can  scarce  maintain  two. 
Pooh,  pooh,  says  the  wren,  I  have  got  ten, 
And  keep  them  all  like  gentlemen ! 

A  LITTLE  cock  sparrow  sat  on  a  green  tree,  (tris) 

And  he  chirruped,  he  chirruped,  so  merry  was  he;  (tris) 

A  little  cock  sparrow  sat  on  a  green  tree, 

And  he  chirruped,  he  chirruped,  so  merry  was  he. 

A  naughty  boy  came  with  his  wee  bow  and  arrow,  (tris) 

Determined  to  shoot  this  little  cock  sparrow,  (tris) 

A  naughty  boy,  &c. 

Determined,  &c. 

This  little  cock  sparrow  shall  make  me  a  stew,  (tris) 
And  his  giblets  shall  make  me  a  little  pie  too;  (tris) 
Oh,  no!  said  the  sparrow,  I  won't  make  a  stew, 
So  he  flapped  his  wings  and  away  he  flew ! 


296 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


I  HAD  a  little  pony, 

His  name  was  Dapple-gray, 
I  lent  him  to  a  lady, 

To  ride  a  mile  away; 

She  whipped  him,  she  slashed  him, 
She  rode  him  through  the  mire; 


HISTORY.  297 


I  would  not  lend  my  pony  now 
For  all  the  lady's  hire. 


COME  hither,  sweet  robin, 

And  be  not  afraid, 
I  would  not  hurt  even  a  feather; 
Come  hither,  sweet  Robin, 

And  pick  up  some  bread, 
To  feed  you  this  vfcry  cold  weather. 

I  don't  mean  to  frighten  you, 

Poor  little  thing, 
And  pussy-cat  is  not  behind  me; 
So  hop  about  pretty, 

And  drop  down  your  wing, 
And  pick  up  some  crumbs, 
And  don't  mind  me. 


298  NURSER  Y  RHYMES. 


THERE  was  an  owl  lived  in  an  oak, 

Wisky,  wasky,  weedle; 
And  every  word  he  ever  spoke 

Was  fiddle,  faddle,  feedle. 

A  gunner  chanced  to  come  that  way, 

Wisky,  wasky,  weedle; 
Says  he,  'Til  shoot  you,  silly  bird," 

Fiddle,  faddle,  feedle 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


299 


The  following  song  is  given  in  Whiter's  "Specimen,  or  a  Commentary 
on  Shakspeare,"  8  vo,  London,  1794,  p.  19,  as  common  in  Cambridge- 
shire and  Norfolk.  Dr.  Farmer  gives  another  rersion  as  an  illustration 
of  a  ditty  of  Jacques  in  "As  You  Like  It,"  Act  II.  sc.  5.  See  Malone's 
Shakspeare,  ed.  1821,  Vol.  VI.  p.  398;  Caldecott's  "Specimen,"  1819, 
note  on  "As  You  Like  It,"  p.  1 1 ;  and  Douce's  "Illustrations,"  Vol.  I. 
p.  297. 

DAME,  what  makes  your  ducks  to  die? 

What  the  pize  ails  'em?  what  the  pize  ails  'em? 

They  kick  up  their  heels,  and  there  they  lie, 

What  the  pize  ails  'em  now? 

Heigh,  ho!  heigh,  ho! 

Dame,  what  makes  your  ducks  to  die? 

What  a  pize  ails  'em?  what  a  pize  ails  'em 

Heigh,  ho!  heigh,  ho! 

Dame,  what  ails  your  ducks  to  die? 

Eating  o'  polly-wigs,  eating  o'  polly-wigs, 

Heigh,  ho!  heigh,  ho! 


THE  pettitoes  are  little  feet, 
And  the  little  feet  not  big; 

Great  feet  belong  to  the  grunt- 
ing hog, 

And  the  pettitoes  to  the  little 
pig- 


THERE  was  a  little  boy  went 

into  a  barn, 

And  lay  down  on  some  hay; 
An    owl    came    out    and    flew 

about, 
And  the  little  boy  ran  away. 


300 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


WILLYWITE,  Willywite, 
With  his  long  bill; 


If  he's  not  gone, 
He  stands  there  still 


LITTLE  Poll  Parrot 

Sat  in  his  garret, 
Eating  toast  and  tea; 

A  little  brown  mouse, 

Jumped  into  the  house, 
And  stole  it  all  away. 


The  snail  scoops  out  hollows,  little  rotund  chambers,  in  limestone,  for 
its  residence.  This  habit  of  the  animal  is  so  important  in  its  effects,  as 
to  have  attracted  the  attention  of  geologists,  and  Dr.  Buckland  alluded 
to  it  at  the  meeting  of  the  British  Association  in  1841.— The  following 
rhyme  is  a  boy's  invocation  to  the  snail  to  come  out  of  such  holes. 


SNAIL,  snail,  come  out  of  your 

hole, 
Or  else  I  will  beat  you  as  black 

as  a  coal. 

SNAIL,  snail,  put  out  your  horns, 
I'll  give  you  bread  and  barley- 
corns. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 301 

SNEEL,  snaul, 
Robbers  are  coming  to  pull  down  your  wall ; 

Sneel,  snaul, 

Put  out  your  horn, 

Robbers  are  coming  to  steal  your  corn, 
Coming  at  four  o'clock  in  the  morn. 


ALL  of  a  row,         Shot  at  a  pigeon, 
Bend  the  bow,        And  killed  a  crow. 


PIT,  pat,  well-a-day! 
Little  Robin  flew  away; 
Where  can  little  Robin  be? 
Gone  into  the  cherry-tree. 


WHEN  the  snow  is  on  the  ground, 
Little  Robin  Redbreast  grieves, 

For  no  berries  can  be  found, 
And  on  the  trees  there  are  no  leaves. 

The  air  is  cold,  the  worms  are  hid; 

For  this  poor  bird  what  can  be  done  ? 
We'll  strew  him  here  some  crumbs  of  bread, 

And  then  he'll  live  till  the  snow  is  gone. 


A  PYE  sate  on  a  pear-tree, 
A  pye  sate  on  a  pear-tree, 
A  pye  sate  on  a  pear-tree, 
Heigh  O!  heigh  O!  heigh  O! 
Once  so  merrily  hop'p'd  she, 
Twice  so  merrily  hopp'd  she, 
Thrice  so  merrily  hopp'd  she, 
Heigh  O !  heigh  O !  heigh  O ! 


302 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


COCK  ROBIN  got  up  early 
At  the  break  of  day, 

And  went  to  Jenny's  win- 
dow 
To  sing  a  roundelay. 


He  sang  Cock  Robin's  love 
To    the    pretty    Jenny 

Wren, 
And  when  he  got  unto  the 

end, 
Then  he  began  again. 


PUSSY-CAT,  pussy-cat,  where  have  you  been  ? 
I've  been  to  London  to  look  at  the  Queen. 
Pussy-cat,  pussy-cat,  what  did  you  there  ? 
I  frightened  a  little  mouse  under  the  chair. 


A  Dorsetshire  version  of  the  "  Four-and-Twenty  Tailors." 
'T  WAS  the  twenty-ninth  of  May,  't  was  a  holiday, 
Four-and-twenty  tailors  set  out  to  hunt  a  snail; 
The  snail  put  forth  his  horns,  and  roared  like  a  bull, 
Away  ran  the  tailors,  and  catch  the  snail  who  wull. 


THE  Robin  and  the  wren 
They  fought  upon  the  par  rage- pan; 
But  ere  the  Robin  got  a  spoon, 
The  wren  had  ate  the  parrage  down. 


LITTLE  Bob  Robin, 
Where  do  you  live  ? 


Up  in  yonder  wood,  sir. 
On  a  hazel  twig. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


I  HAD  a  little  hen,  the  prettiest  ever  seen, 

She  washed  me  the  dishes  and  kept  the  house  clean; 

She  went  to  the  mill  to  fetch  me  some  flour, 

She  brought  it  home  in  less  than  an  hour; 

She  baked  me  my  bread,  she  brewed  me  my  ale, 

She  sat  by  the  fire  and  told  many  a  fine  tale. 


A  north  of  England  version  of  a  very  common  nursery  rhyme,  sung  by  a 
child,  who  imitates  the  crowing  of  a  cock. 

COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO, 

My  dad's  gane  to  ploo; 
Mammy's  lost  her  pudding- poke, 
And  knows  not  what  to  do. 


304 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


HIGGLEPY  piggleby,  my  black  hen, 
She  lays  eggs  for  gentlemen; 
Sometimes  nine,  and  sometimes  ten, 
Higglepy  piggleby,  my  black  hen ! 


HICKETY,  pickety,  my  black  hen, 
She  lays  eggs  for  gentlemen, 
Gentlemen  come  every  day 
To  see  what  my  black  hen  doth 
lay. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


305 


THE  cock  doth  crow 
To  let  you  know, 
If  you  be  wise 
'Tis  time  to  rise. 


I  HAD   two    pigeons 

bright  and  gay, 
They  flew  from   me 

the  other  day; 
What  was  the  reason 

they  did  go  ? 
I  cannot  tell,  for  I  do 

not  know. 


COCK  crows  in  the  morn, 
To  tell  us  to  rise, 

And  he  who  lies  late 
Will  never  be  wise; 


For  early  to  bed, 
And  early  to  rise, 

Is  the  way  to  be  healthy 
And  wealthy  and  wise. 


ROBIN-A-BOBBIN 

Bent  his  bow. 


Shot  at  a  pigeon, 
And  killed  a  cr«w. 


306 


NCJESERY  RHYMES. 


PUSSY-CAT  ate  the  dumplings,  the  dumplings, 
Pussy-cat  ate  the  dumplings. 

Mamma  stood  by, 

And  cried,  Oh,  fie ! 
Why  did  you  eat  the  dumplings  ? 


I  HAD  a  little  cow :  to  save  her, 
I  turned  her  into  the  meadow  to  graze  her; 
There  came  a  heavy  storm  of  rain, 
And  drove  the  little  cow  home  again. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


307 


The  church  doors  they  stood  open, 
And  there  the  little  cow  was  cropen; 
The  bell-ropes  they  were  made  of  hay, 
And  the  little  cow  ate  them  all  away: 
The  sexton  came  to  toll  the  bell, 
And  pushed  the  little  cow  into  the  well  I 


BETTY  PRINGLE  had  a  little  pig, 
Not  very  little  and  not  very  big. 
When  he  was  alive  he  lived  in  clover, 
But  now  he's  dead,  and  that's  all  over. 
So  Billy  Pringle  he  laid  down  and  cried, 
And  Betty  Pringle  she  laid  down  and  died; 
So  there  was  an  end  of  one,  two,  and  three; 

Billy  Pringle  he, 

Betty  Pringle  she, 

And  the  piggy  wiggy. 


As  I  went  to  Bonner, 

I  met  a  pig  without  a  wig, 
Upon  my  word  and  honor. 


308 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


THERE  was  a  little  one-eyed  gunner, 

Who  killed  all  the  birds  that  died  last  summer. 


JACK  SPRAT'S  pig, 
He  was  not  very  little, 
Nor  yet  very  big; 
He  was  not  very  lean, 
He  was  not  very  fat; 
He'll  do  well  for  a  grunt, 
Says  little  Jack  Sprat. 


A-MILKING,  a  milking,  my  maid: 
"Cow,  take  care  of  your  heels,"  she  said: 
"And  you  shall  have  some  nice  new  hay 
If  you'll  quietly  let  me  milk  away." 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


'T  WAS  once  upon  a  time 

When  Jenny  Wren  was  young, 
So  daintily  she  danced, 

And  so  prettily  she  sung; 
Robin  Redbreast  lost  his  heart, 

For  he  was  a  gallant  bird ; 
So  he  doffed  his  hat  to  Jenny  Wren, 

Requesting  to  be  heard. 

O  dearest  Jenny  Wren, 

If  you  will  but  be  mine, 
You  shall  feed  on  cherry  pie,  you  shall, 

And  drink  new  currant  wine; 
I'll  dress  you  like  a  goldfinch, 

Or  any  peacock  gay; 
So  dearest  Jen,  if  you'll  be  mine, 

Let  us  appoint  the  day. 

Jenny  blushed  behind  her  fan, 

And  thus  declared  her  mind: 
Since,  dearest  Bob,  I  love  you  well, 

I'll  take  your  offer  kind; 
Cherry  pie  is  very  nice, 

And  so  is  currant  wine; 
But  I  must  wear  my  plain  brown  gown, 

And  never  go  too  fine. 

Robin  Redbreast  rose  up  early, 

All  at  the  break  of  day, 
And  he  flew  to  Jenny  Wren's  house, 

And  sung  a  roundelay; 
He  sung  of  Robin  Redbreast 

And  little  Jenny  Wren, 
And  when  he  came  unto  the  end, 

He  then  began  again. 


810 


NUESERY  EHYMES. 


CHARLEY  WARLEY  had  a  cow, 
Black  and  white  about  the  brow; 
Open  the  gate  and  let  her  go  through, 
Charley  Warley's  old  cow! 


PUSSY-CAT  MOLE 

Jumped  over  a  coal, 

And  in  her  best  petticoat  burnt  a  great  hole. 
Poor  pussy's  weeping, — she'll  have  no  more  milk 
Until  her  best  petticoat's  mended  with.  silk,. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


311 


The  following  stanza  is  of  very  considerable  antiquity,  and  is  common  in 
Yorkshire. — See  Hunter's  "  Hallamshire  Glossary,"  p.  56. 

LADY-COW,  lady-cow,  fly  thy  way  home, 
Thy  house  is  on  fire,  thy  children  all  gone, 
All  but  one,  that  ligs  under  a  stone, 
Fly  thee  home,  lady-cow,  ere  it  be  gone. 


ONCE  I  saw  a  little  bird 
Come  hop,  hop,  hop; 

So  I  cried,  little  bird, 
Will  you  stop,  stop,  stop? 


And  was  going  to  the  win- 
dow 

To  say,  How  do  you  do? 
But  he  shook  his  little  tail, 

And  far  away  he  flew. 


As  titty  irouse  sat  in  the  witty  to  spin, 
Pussy  can.e  to  her  and  bid  her  good  ev'n. 
"Oh,  what  are  you  doing,  my  little  'oman?" 
"  A-spinnin^  a  doublet  for  my  gudcman." 
"Then  I  shall  come  to  thee,  and  wind  up  thy  thread?' 
"Oh,  no,  IV.TS.  Puss,  you'll  bite  off  my  head." 


312 


NURSERY  EHYMES. 


THERE  was  a  piper,  he'd  a  cow, 
And  he'd  no  hay  to  give  her, 

He  took  his  pipes  and  played  a  tune. 
Consider,  old  cow,  consider! 

The  cow  considered  very  well, 
For  she  gave  the  piper  a  penny, 

That  he  might  play  the  tune  again 
Of  "  Corn-rigs  are  bonnie!" 


THERE  was  an  old  woman  had  three  cows — 

Rosy  and  Colin  and  Dun : 
Rosy  and  Colin  were  sold  at  the  fair, 
And  Dun  broke  his  head  in  a  fit  of  despair; 
And  there  was  an  end  of  her  three  cows — 

Rosy  and  Colin  and  Dun. 


SHOE  the  colt, 
Shoe  the  colt; 
Shoe  the  wild  mare; 


Here  a  nail, 
There  a  nail, 
Yet  she  goes  bare. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


313 


I  HAD  a  little  cow; 

Hey-diddle,  ho-diddle! 
I  had  a  little  cow,  and  it  had  a  little  calf; 
Hey-diddle,  ho-diddle;  and  there's  my  song  half. 


ft 


I  had  a  little  cow; 

Hey-diddle,  ho-diddle! 

I  had  a  little  cow,  and  I  drove  it  to  the  stall; 
Hey-diddle,  ho-diddle;  and  there's  my  song  all! 


314 NURSERY  RHYMES. 

LITTLE  Jenny  Wren  fell  sick  upon  a  time; 
In  came  Robin  Redbreast,  and  brought  her  cake  and  wine. 
Eat  of  my  cake,  Jenny,  and  drink  of  my  wine. 
Thank  you,  Robin,  kindly,  you  shall  be  mine. 

Jenny  she  got  well,  and  stood  upon  her  feet, 
And  told  Robin  plainly  she  loved  him  not  a  bit. 
Robin  he  was  angry,  and  hopped  upon  a  twig, 
Saying,  Out  upon  you,  fie  upon  you,  bold-faced  jig! 

But  Jenny  Wren  fell  sick  again,  and  Jenny  Wren  did  die? 
The  doctors  said  they'd  cure  her,  or  know  the  reason  why ; 
Doctor  Hawk  felt  her  pulse,  and,  shaking  his  head, 
Said,  I  fear  I  can't  save  her,  because  she's  quite  dead! 


Doctor  Cat  said — Indeed,  I  don't  think  she's  dead; 
I  believe,  if  I  try,  she  yet  may  be  bled ! — 
You  need  not  a  lancet,  Miss  Pussy,  indeed, 
Your  claws  are  enough  a  poor  wren  to  bleed. 

Why,  Puss,  you're  quite  foolish,  exclaimed  Doctor  Goose; 

To  bleed  a  dead  wren  can  be  of  no  use ! — 

Ah,  Doctor  Goose,  you're  very  wise; 

Your  learning  profound  might  ganders  surprise. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 316 

She'll  do  very  well  yet,  exclaimed  Doctor  Fox, 
If  she'll  take  but  two  pills  from  out  of  this  box! — 
Ah,  Doctor  Fox,  you  are  very  cunning; 
But  if  she's  dead,  you'll  not  get  one  in. 

Doctor  Jackass  advanced — See  this  balsam:  /  make  it! 
She  yet  may  survive,  if  you  get  her  to  take  it ! — 
What  you  say,  Doctor  Ass,  may  be  very  true, 
But  I  ne'er  saw  the  dead  drink — pray,  doctor,  did  you? 

Says  Robin,  Get  out!  you're  a  parcel  of  quacks; 
Or  I'll  put  this  good  stick  about  each  of  your  backs. 
So  Robin  began  to  bang  them  about; 
They  stayed  for  no  fees,  but  were  glad  to  get  out 

Cock  Robin  long  for  Jenny  grieves, 
At  last  he  covered  her  with  leaves; 
And  o'er  the  place  a  mournful  lay 
For  Jenny  Wren  sings  every  day. 


THERE  was  a  glossy  blackbird  once 

Lived  in  a  cherry-tree, 
He  chirped  and  sung  from  morn  till  night, 

No  bird  so  blithe  as  he? 
And  this  the  burden  of  his  song 

Forever  used  to  be : 

Good  boys  shall  have  cherries  as  soon  as  they're  ripe, 
But  naughty  boys  none  from  me. 


JOHNNY  ARMSTRONG  killed  a  calf; 
Peter  Henderson  got  the  half; 
Willy  Wilkinson  got  the  head, — 
Ring  the  bell,  the  calf  is  dead ! 


LITTLE  Robin  Redbreast  With  a  pair  of  speckled  legs, 
Sat  upon  a  hurdle,  And  a  green  girdle. 


316 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


MARY  had  a  pretty  bird 
With  feathers  bright  and 

yellow, 
Slender    legs  —  upon    my 

word, 
He  was  a  pretty  fellow. 

The  sweetest  notes  he  al< 

ways  sang, 
Which  much   delighted 

Mary; 
And  near  the  cage  she'd 

ever  sit, 
To  hear  her  own  canary 


SOME  little  mice  sat  in  a  barn  to  spin ; 
Pussy  came  by  and  popped  her  head  in ; 
Shall  I  come  in,  and  cut  your  threads  off? 
Oh  no !  kind  sir,  you  will  snap  our  heads  off !" 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


317 


FOUR-AND-TWENTY  tailors  went  to  kill  a  snail, 
The  best  man  among  them  durst  not  touch  her  tail; 
She  put  out  her  horns  like  a  little  Kyloe  cow, 
Run,  tailors,  run !  or  she'll  kill  you  all  e'en  now. 


318. 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


BLESS  you,  bless  you,  bonny  bee: 
Say,  when  will  your  wedding  be? 
If  it  be  to-morrow  day, 
Take  your  wings  and  fly  away. 


DICKERY,  dickery,  dare, 
The   pig  flew   up  in  the 

air; 
The    man    in  brown    soon 

brought  him  down, 
Dickery,  dickery,  dare. 


GRAY  goose  and  gander, 
Waft  your  wing*  together, 

And  carry  the  good  King's  daughter 
Over  the  one  strand  river. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


319 


BURNIE  bee,  burnie  bee, 

Tell  me  when  your  wedding  be? 

If  it  be  to-morrow  day, 

Take  your  wings  and  fly  away. 

CROAK  !  said  the  Toad,  I'm  hungry,  I  think, 
To-day  I've  had  nothing  to  eat  or  to  drink, 
I'll  crawl  to  a  garden  and  jump  through  the  pales, 
And  there  I'll  dine  nicely  on  slugs  and  on  snails; 
Ho,  ho !  quoth  the  frog,  is  that  what  you  mean  ? 
Then  I'll  hop  away  to  the  next  meadow  stream, 
There  I  will  drink,  and  eat  worms  and  slugs  too, 
And  then  I  shall  have  a  good  dinner  like  you. 


HIE,  hie,  says  Anthony, 
Puss  in  the  pantry 
Gnawing,  gnawing, 
A  mutton,  mutton-bone; 
See  how  she  tumbles  it, 
See  now  she  mumbles  it, 
See  how  she  tosses 
The  mutton,  mutton-bone. 


320 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


WHO  killed  Cock  Robin  ? 
I,  said  the  Sparrow, 
With  my  bow  and  arrow. 


Who  saw  him  die  ? 
I,  said  the  Fly, 
With  my  little  eye. 


Who  caught  his  blood  ? 
I,  said  the  Fish, 
With  my  little  dish. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


321 


Who'll  make  his  shroud? 
I,  said  the  Beetle, 
With    my    thread    and 
needle. 

Who'll  dig  his  grave  ? 
I,  said  the  Owl, 
With     my     spade    and 
shovel. 

Who'll  carry  him  to  the 

grave? 

I,  said  the  Kite, 
If  it's  not  in  the  night. 

Who'll  carry  the  link  ? 
I,  said  the  Linnet, 
I'll  fetch  it  in  a  minute. 

Who'll  be  chief  mourner  ? 
I,  said  the  Dove, 
For    I    mourn  for    my 
love. 

Who'll  sing  a  psalm  ? 
I,  said  the  Thrush, 
As  he  sat  in  a  bush. 

Who'll  be  the  parson  ? 
I,  said  the  Rook, 
With  my  little  book. 

Who'll  be  the  clerk? 
I,  said  the  Lark, 
If  it's  not  in  the  dark. 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


Who'll  toll  the  bell? 
I,  said  the  Bull, 
Because  I  can  pull. 

All  the  birds  of  the  air  When  they  heard  the  bell 

Fell  a-sighing  and  sob-  toll 

bing,  For  poor  Cock  Robin. 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


323 


' '  ROBERT  Barnes,  fellow  fine, 

Can  you  shoe  this  horse  of  mine  ? " 

"Yes,  good  sir,  that  I  can, 
As  well  as  any  other  man : 
There's  a  nail,  and  there's  a  prod, 
And  now,  good  sir,  your  horse  is  shod. " 


I  HAD  a  little  dog,  and  they  called 

him  Buff ; 
I  sent  him  to  the  shop  for  a  hap'- 

orth  of  snuff; 
But  he  lost  the  bag,  and  spilt  the 

snuff,' 
So    take    that    cuff,    and    that's 

enough. 


As  I  went  over  the  water, 
The  water  went  over  me, 
I  saw  two  little  blackbirds  sitting  on  a  tree: 
The  one  called  me  a  rascal, 
The  other  called  me  a  thief; 
I  took  up  my  little  black  stick, 
And  knocked  out  all  their  teeth. 


THE  winds  they  did  blow, 
The  leaves  they  did  wag ; 

Along  came  a  beggar  boy, 
And  put  me  in  his  bag. 


He  took  me  up  to  London, 
A  lady  did  me  buy, 

Put  me  in  a  silver  cage, 
And  hung  me  up  on  high. 


With  apples  by  the  fire, 
And  nuts  for  to  crack, 

Besides  a  little  feather  bed 
To  rest  my  little  back. 


324 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


THREE  little  kittens  they  lost  their  mittens, 

And  they  began  to  cry, 
"Oh!  mammy  dear, 
We  sadly  fear, 

Our  mittens  we  have  lost !  " 
"What!  lost  your  mittens, 
You  naughty  kittens, 

Then  you  shall  have  no  pie. " 
Miew,  miew,  miew,  miew, 
Miew,  miew,  miew,  miew. 

The  three  little  kittens  they  found  their  mittens, 

And  they  began  to  cry, 
"Oh!  mammy  dear, 
See  here,  see  here, 

Our  mittens  we  have  found. " 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


325 


"What!  found  your  mittens, 

You  little  kittens, 
Then  you  shall  have  some  pie." 
Purr,  purr,  purr,  purr, 
Purr,  purr,  purr,  purr. 


The  three  little  kittens  put  on  their  mittens, 

And  soon  ate  up  the  pie; 
"Oh!  mammy  dear, 
We  greatly  fear, 

Our  mittens  we  have  soil'd. " 
"What!  soil'd  your  mittens, 
You  naughty  kittens! " 

Then  they  began  to  sigh, 
Miew,  miew,  miew,  miew, 
Miew,  miew,  miew,  miew. 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


The  three  little  kittens  they  washed  their  mittons. 

And  hung  them  up  to  dry ; 
'  'Oh !  mammy  dear, 
Look  here,  look  here, 

Our  mittens  we  have  wash'd 
"What!  wash'd  your  mittens, 
You  darling  kittens ! 

But  I  smell  a  rat  close  by ! 
Hush  !  hush  !  "  Miew,  miew, 
Miew,  miew,  miew,  miew. 


A  FARMER  went  trotting 
Upon  his  grey  mare, 
Bumpety,    bumpety, 

bump! 

With  his  daughter  be- 
hind him, 
So  rosy  and  fair, 
Lumpety,    lumpety, 
lumpl 


NATURAL  HISTORY. 


327 


A  raven  cried  Croak ! 

And  they  all  tumbled  down, 
Bumpety,  bumpety,  bump! 

The  mare  broke  her  knees, 
And  the  farmer  his  crown, 

Lumpety,  lumpety,  lump! 

The  mischievous  raven 

Flew  laughing  away, 
Bumpety,  bumpety,  bump! 

And  vowed  he  would  serve  them 
The  same  the  next  day, 

Lumpety,  lumpety,  lump  I 


PUSSY  sat  by  the  fireside 
In  a  basket  full  of  coal-dust; 
Bas- 
ket, 
Coal- 
dust, 
In  a  basket  full  of  coal-dust! 


FIFTEENTH  CLASS. 

Relics. 

THE  girl  in  the  lane,  that  couldn't  speak  plain, 
Cried  "Gobble,  gobble,  gobble:" 

The  man  on  the  hill,  that  couldn't  stand  still, 
Went  hobble,  hobble,  hobble. 


BABY  and  I 
Were  baked  in  a  pie, 
The  gravy  was  wonderful 
hot: 

WHAT'S  the  news  of  the  day, 
Good  neighbor,  I  pray  ? 


We  had  nothing  to  pay 
To  the  baker  that  day 
And  so  we  crept  out  of  the 
pot. 

They  say  the  balloon 
Is  gone  up  to  the  moon! 


[3281 


It  EL  TCS. 


329 


GIRLS  and  boys,  come  out  to  play, 

The  moon  doth  shine  as  bright  as  day; 

Leave  your  supper  and  leave  your  sleep, 

And  come  with  your  playfellows  into  the  street. 

Come  with  a  whoop,  come  with  a  call, 

Come  with  a  good  will  or  not  at  all. 

Up  the  ladder  and  down  the  wall, 

A  halfpenny  roll  will  serve  us  all. 

You  find  milk,  and  I'll  find  flour, 

And  we'll  have  a  pudding  in  half  an  hour. 


WILLY  boy,  Willy  boy,  where  are  you  going  ? 

I  will  go  with  you,  if  that  I  may. 
I'm  going  to  the  meadow  to  see  them  a-mowiikg, 

I'm  going  to  help  them  to  make  the  hay. 


330  NURSER  Y  RHYMES. 


HINK,  minx !  the  old  witch  winks, 

The  fat  begins  to  fry: 

There's  nobody  at  home  but  jumping  Joan, 
Father,  mother,  and  I. 


HARK,  hark!  Some  in  jags, 

The  dogs  do  bark,  Some  in  rags, 

Beggars    are    coming  to     And  some  in  velvet  gowns, 
town; 

SHAKE  a  leg,  wag  a  leg,  when  will  you  gang  ? 
At  midsummer,  mother,  when  the  days  are  lang. 


BELICS. 


331 


CHARLEY  wag, 

Ate  the  pudding  and  left  the  bag. 

WE'RE  all  in  the  dumps, 

For  diamonds  are  trumps; 
The  kittens  are  gone  to  St.  Paul's! 

The  babies  are  bit, 

The  moon's  in  a  fit, 
And  the  houses  are  built  without  walls 


I  HAD  a  little  moppet, 

I  put  it  in  my  pocket, 
And  fed  it  with  corn  and  hay: 

Then  came  a  proud  beggar, 

And  swore  he  would  have  her, 
And  stole  little  moppet  away. 


332 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


To  market,  to  market,  a  gallop,  a  trot, 
To  buy  some  meat  to  put  in  the  pot; 
Threepence  a  quarter,  a  groat  a  side, 
If  it  hadn't  been  killed,  it  must  have  died. 


THE  children  of  Holland 

Take  pleasure  in  making 
What  the  children  of  England 

Take  pleasure  in  breaking.* 
*  Alluding  to  toys,  a  great  number  of  which  are  imported  from  Holland. 


HELIOS. 


333 


THE    barber    shavea     the 

mason, 
As  I  suppose 


Cut  off  his  nose, 
And  popped  it  in  a  basin. 


COME,  let's  to  bed, 
Says  Sleepy-head; 
Tarry  awhile,  says 

Slow; 

Put  on  the  pot, 
Says  Greedy-gut, 
Let's  sup  before  we 
go. 


LITTLE  girl,  little  girl,  where  have  you  been  ? 
Gathering  roses  to  give  to  the  Queen. 
Little  girl,  little  girl,  what  gave  she  you  ? 
She  gave  me  a  diamond  as  big  as  my  shoe. 


334 


NUBSEEY  EHTMES. 


BARBER,  barber,  shave  a  pig, 
How  many  hairs  will  make  a  wig  ? 
"  Four-and-twenty,  that's  enough." 
Give  the  barber  a  pinch  of  snuff. 


IF  all  the  seas  were  one  sea, 
What  a  great  sea  that  would  be ! 
And  if  all  the  trees  were  one  tree, 
What  a  great  tree  that  would  be ! 
And  if  all  the  axes  were  one  axe, 
What  a  great  axe  that  would  be ! 
And  if  all  the  men  were  one  man, 
What  a  great  man  he  would  be ! 
And  if  the  great  man  took  the  great  axe, 
And  cut  down  the  great  tree, 
And  let  it  fall  into  the  great  sea, 
What  a  splish- splash  that  would  be! 


RELICS. 


335 


RAIN,  rain,  go  away, 
Come  again  another  day; 


Little    Arthur 
play. 


wants    to 


HANNAH  BANTRY  in  the  pantry, 

Eating  a  mutton-bone; 
How  she  gnawed  it,  how  she  clawed  it, 

When  she  found  she  was  alone  1 


DARBY  and  Joan  were  dressed  in  black, 
Sword  and  buckle  behind  their  back ; 
Foot  for  foot,  and  knee  for  knee, 
Turn  about  Darby's  company. 


336  NURSER  Y  RHYMES. 


WHAT  are  little  boys  made  of,  made  of  ? 

What  are  little  boys  made  of  ? 

Snaps  and  snails,  and  puppy-dogs'  tails; 

And  that's  what  little  boys  are  made  of,  made  of. 

What  are  little  girls  made  of,  made  of,  made  of  ? 

What  are  little  girls  made  of  ? 

Sugar  and  spice,  and  all  that's  nice; 

And  that's  what  little  girls  are  made  of,  made  of. 

DAYS    OF    BIRTH. 

MONDAY'S  child  is  fair  in  face, 
Tuesday's  child  is  full  of  grace, 
Wednesday's  child  is  full  of  woe, 
Thursday's  child  has  far  to  go, 
Friday's  child  is  loving  and  giving, 
Saturday's  child  works  hard  for  its  living; 
And  a  child  that's  born  on  Christmas  day 
Is  fair  and  wise,  good  and  gay. 


RELICS.  337 


FINGER-NAILS. 

There  is  a  superstition,  says  Forby,  ii.,  411,  respecting  cutting  the 
nails,  and  some  days  are  considered  more  lucky  for  this  operation  than 
others.  To  cut  them  on  a  Tuesday  is  thought  particularly  auspicious. 
Indeed,  if  we  are  to  believe  an  old  rhyming  saw  on  this  subject,  every 
day  of  the  week  is  endowed  with  its  several  and  peculiar  virtue,  if  the 
nails  are  invariably  cut  on  that  day  and  no  other.  The  lines  are  as 
follows: 

Cut  them  on  Monday,  you  cut  them  for  health ; 
Cut  them  on  Tuesday,  you  cut  them  for  wealth ; 
Cut  them  on  Wednesday,  you  cut  them  for  news; 
Cut  them  on  Thursday,  a  new  pair  of  shoes; 
Cut  them  on  Friday,  you  cut  them  for  sorrow; 
Cut  them  on  Saturday,  see  your  true  love  to-morrow; 
Cut  them  on  Sunday,  ill  luck  will  be  with  you  all  the 
week. 

The  following  divination  rhymes  refer  to  the  gifts,  or  white  spots  on 
the  nails,  beginning  with  the  thumb,  and  going  on  regularly  to  the  little 
finger.  The  last  gift  will  show  the  destiny  of  the  operator  pro  tempore. 

A  GIFT — a  friend — a  foe — 
A  journey — to  go. 


COLORS. 

Color  superstitions,  though  rapidly  disappearing,  still  obtain  in  the 
remote  rural  districts.  The  following  lines  were  obtained  from  the  east 
of  England : 

BLUE  is  true,  Red's  brazen, 

Yellow's  jealous,  White  is  love, 

Green's  forsaken,  And  black  is  death. 


Go  to  bed,  Tom ! 
Go  to  bed,  Tom ! 
Drunk  or  sober, 
Go  to  bed,  Tom. 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


WHO  comes  here  ? — A  grenadier. 
What  do  you  want  ? — A  pot  of  beer. 
Where  is  your  money  ? — I've  forgot. 
Get  you  gone,  you  drunken  sot  1 


THE  quaker's  wife  got  up  to  bake, 
Her  children  all  about  her, 

She  gave  them  every  one  a  cake, 
And  the  miller  wants  his  moulter. 


RELICS. 


339 


As  I  went  over  the  water, 
The  water  went  over  me, 
I  heard  an  old  woman  cry- 
ing, 

Will  you  buy  some  fur- 
mi  ty? 


my 


HIGH    diddle    doubt, 

candle  out, 
My  little  maid  is  not  at 

home: 
Saddle  my  hog,  and  bridle 

my  dog, 

And  fetch  my  little  maid 
home. 


LITTLE  Mary  Ester, 

Sat  upon  a  tester, 
Eating  of  curds  and  whey; 

There  came  a  little  spider, 

And  set  him  down  beside  her, 
And  frightened  Mary  Ester  away. 

LITTLE  Tommy  Tacket, 

Sits  upon  his  cracket ; 
Half  a  yard  of  cloth  will  make  him  coat  and  jacket, 

Make  him  coat  and  jacket, 

Trowsers  to  the  knee. 
And  if  you  will  not  have  him,  you  may  let  him  be. 

PEG,  Peg,  with  a  wooden  leg, 

Her  father  was  a  miller: 
He  tossed  the  dumpling  at  her  head, 

And  said  he  could  not  kill  her. 


340  NURSER  Y  RHYMES. 


WHEN  Jacky's  a  very  good  boy, 
He  shall  have  cakes  and  a  custard; 

But  when  he  does  nothing  but  cry, 
He  shall  have  nothing  but  mustard. 


RELICS. 


341 


LITTLE  Tom  Tucker 
Sings  for  his  supper; 
What  shall  he  eat? 
White  bread  and  butter. 


How  shall  he  cut  it 
Without  e'er  a  knife? 
How  will  he  be  married 
Without  e'er  a  wife? 


342 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


LITTLE  Miss  Muffet, 
She  sat  on  a  tuffet, 
Eating  of  curds  and  whey; 
There  came  a  great  spi- 

der, 
Who    sat    down   beside 

her, 

And  frightened  Miss  Muf- 
fet away. 


RELICS. 


343 


LITTLE  Miss,  pretty  Miss, 
Blessings  light  upon  you; 


If  I  had  half-a-crown  a  day, 
I'd  spend  it  all  upon  you. 


MY  little  old  man  and  I  fell  out, 
I'll  tell  you  what  'twas  all  about: 
I  had  money,  and  he  had  none, 
And  that's  the  way  the  row  begun. 


BLOW,  wind,  blow!  and  go,  mill, 

go! 
That  the  miller  may  grind  his 

corn; 

That  the  baker  may  take  it, 
And  into  rolls  make  it, 
And  send  us   some  hot  in  the 

morn. 


344 NURSERY  RHYMES. 

WASH,  hands,  wash, 

Daddy's  gone  to  plough, 
If  3*ou  want  your  hands  washed 

Have  them  washed  now. 

A  formula  for  making  young  children  submit  to  the  operation  of  hav- 
ing their  hands  washed.  Mutatis  mutandis •,  the  lines  will  serve  as  a 
specific  for  everything  of  the  kind,  as  brushing  hair,  &c. 


PARSON  DARBY  wore  a  black  gown, 
And   every  button   cost    half-a-crown; 
From  port  to  port,  and  toe  to  toe, 
Turn  the  ship,  and  away  we  go ! 


DAFFY-DOWN-DILLY  has  come  up  to  town, 
In  a  yellow  petticoat  and  a  green  gown. 


The  following  is  quoted  in  the  song  of  Mad  Tom.     See  Ilalliwell's  intro- 
duction to  Shakespeare's  "Midsummer  Night's  Dream,"  p.  55. 

THE  man  in  the  moon  drinks  claret, 

But  he  is  a  dull  Jack-a-Dandy; 
Would  he  know  a  sheep's  head  from  a  carrot 

He  should  learn  to  drink  cider  and  brandy. 


RELICS. 


3*5 


A  GOOD  child,  a'good  child, 

As  I  suppose  you  be, 
Never  laughed  nor  smiled 


At  the  tickling  of  your 
knee. 


How  many  days  has  my  baby  to  play? 

Saturday,  Sunday,  Monday, 
Tuesday,  Wednesday,  Thursday,  Friday, 

Saturday,  Sunday,  Monday. 


BLENKY  my  nutty- cock, 

Blenk  him  away; 
My  nutty-cock's  never 
Been  blenked  to-day. 

What  wi'  carding  and  spinning  on  t'  wheel, 
We've  never  had  time  to  blenk  nutty-cock  weel; 
But  let  to-morrow  come  ever  so  sune, 
My  nutty-cock  it  sail  be  blenked  by  nune. 


AROTTND  the  green  gravel  the  grass  grows  green. 
And  all  the  pretty  maids  were  plain  to  be  seen; 
Wash  them  with  milk,  and  clothe  them  with  silk, 
And  write  their  names  with  a  pen  and  ink. 


346  NUBSEIt  Y  RHYMES. 


To  market,  to  market,  to  buy  a  plum  cake, 
Back  again,  back  again,  baby  is  late; 
To  market,  to  market,  to  buy  a  plum  bun, 
Back  again,  back  again,  market  is  done. 


As  I  was  going  to  sell  my  eggs, 

I  met  a  man  with  bandy  legs, 

Bandy  legs  and  crooked  toes, — 

I  tripped  up  his  heels,  and  he  fell  on  his  nose. 


How  do  you  do,  neighbor? 
Neighbor,  how  do  you  do? — 

I  am  pretty  well, 
And  how  does  Cousin  Sue  do?— 

She's  pretty  well, 
And  sends  her  duty  to  you; 

So  does  bonnie  Nell — 
Good  lack  I  how  does  she  do? 


EEL1CS. 


347 


ST.  THOMAS'S  DAY  is  past  and  gone, 
And  Christmas  is  a'most  a-come. 
Maidens,  arise 
And  make  your  pies, 

And  save  poor  Tailor  Bobby  some. 


OLD  Sir  Simon  the  King, 
And  young  Sir  Simon  the  'squire, 

And  old  Mrs.  Hickabout 

Kicked  Mrs.  Kickabout 
Round  about  our  coal  fire ! 


SIXTEENTH  CLASS. 

tool 

THERE  was  a  little  nobby  colt, 
His  name  was  Nobby  Gray; 
His  head  was  made  of  pouce  straw, 

His  tail  was  made  of  hay. 
He  could  ramble,  he  could  trot, 
He  could  carry  a  mustard-pot 
Round  the  town  of  Woodstock. 
Hey,  Jenny,  hey! 


KING'S  Sutton  is  a  pretty  town, 

And  lies  all  in  a  valley; 
There  is  a  pretty  ring  of  bells, 

Besides  a  bowling-alley; 
Wine  and  liquor  in  good  store, 

Pretty  maidens  plenty: 
Can  a  man  desire  more  ? 

There    ain't    such    a    town    in 
twenty. 

CM81 


LOCAL.  349 


THE  little  priest  of  Felton, 
The  little  priest  of  Felton, 
He  killed  a  mouse  within  his  house, 
And  ne'er  a  one  to  help  him ! ! 


THE  following  verses  are  said  by  Aubrey  to  have  been  sung  in  his 
time  by  the  girls  of  Oxfordshire  in  a  sport  called  "Leap  Candle,"  which 
is  now  obsolete.  See  Thorns'  "Anecdotes  and  Traditions,"  p.  96. 

THE  tailor  of  Bicester, 
He  has  but  one  eye; 

He  cannot  cut  a  pair  of  green  galagaskins 
If  he  were  to  try. 


DICK  and  Tom,  Will  and  John, 
Brought  me  from  Nottingham. 


AT  Brill-on-the-Hill 
The  wind  blows  shrill, 

The  cook  no  meat  can  dress; 
At  Stow-in-the-Wold 
The  wind  blows  cold, — 

I  know  no  more  than  this. 


A  LITTLE  bit  of  powdered  beef, 
And  a  great  net  of  cabbage, 
The  best  meal  I  have  had  to-day 
Is  a  good  bowl  of  porridge. 


MY  father  and  mother,  my  uncle  and  aunt, 
Be  all  gone  to  Norton,  but  little  Jack  and  I. 

LITTLE  boy,  pretty  boy,  where  were  you  born? 

In  Lincolnshire,  master:   come,  blow  the  cow's  horn. 

A  halfpennny  pudding,  a  penny  pie, 

A  shoulder  of  mutton,  and  that  love  I. 


350 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


A  MAN  went  a-hunting  at  Reigate, 
And  wished  to  leap  over  a  high  gate ; 
Says  the  owner,  '  'Go  round, 
With  your  gun  and  your  hound, 
For  you  never  shall  leap  over  my  gate." 


DRIDDLETY  drum,  driddlety  drum, 
There  you  see  the  beggars  are  come ; 
Some  are  here,  and  some  are  there, 
And  some  are  gone  to  Chidley  Fair. 


LOCAL. 


351 


LITTLE    lad,  little    lad,    where 

wast  thou  born  ? 
Far  off  in  Lancashire,  under  a 

thorn, 
Where  they  sop  sour  milk  in  a 

ram's  horn. 


LINCOLN  was,  and  London  is, 
And  York  shall  be 
The  fairest  city  of  the  three. 


ISLE  OF  MAN. 

ALL  the  bairns  unborn  will  rue  the  day 
That  the  Isle  of  Man  was  sold  away ; 
And  there's  ne'er  a  wife  that  loves  a  dram, 
But  what  will  lament  for  the  Isle  of  Man. 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


I  LOST  my  mare  in  Lincoln  Lane, 
And  couldn't  tell  where  to  find  her, 

Till  she  came  home  both  lame  and  blind, 
With  never  a  tail  behind  her. 


CXIPPLE  Dick  upon  a  stick,      Riding  away  to  Galloway, 
And  Sandy  on  a  sow,  To  buy  a  pound  o'  woo. 


SEVENTEENTH   CLASS. 

Cow  and  matrimony. 

As  I  was  going  up  Pippen  Hill, 

Pippen  Hill  was  dirty, 
There  I  met  a  pretty  miss, 

And  she  dropt  me  a  curtsey. 

Little  miss,  pretty  miss, 
Blessings  light  upon  you : 

If  I  had  half-a-crown  a  day, 
I'd  spend  it  all  upon  you. 

IT'S  once  I  courted  as  pretty  a  lass 

As  ever  your  eyes  did  see; 
But  now  she's  come  to  such  a  pass, 

She  never  will  do  for  me. 
She  invited  me  to  her  own  house, 

Where  oft  I'd  been  before, 
And  she  tumbled  me  into  the  hog- tub, 

And  I'll  never  go  there  any  more. 

[353] 


354 


NUESEEY  RHYMES. 


BRAVE  news    is  come  to     Brave  news    is    come  to 

town,  town, — 

Brave  news  is  carried;  Jemmy  Dawson's  mar- 

ried. 


As  Tommy  Snooks  and  Bessy  Brooks 
Were  walking  out  one  Sunday, 

Says  Tommy  Snooks  to  Bessy  Brooks, 
"To-morrow  will  be  Monday." 


LOVE  AND  MATRIMONY. 


355 


WHAT  care  I  how  black  I  be? 
Twenty  pounds  will  marry  me; 
If  twenty  won't,  forty  shall, — 
I  am  my  mother's  bouncing  girl ! 


WILLY,  Willy  Wilkin, 
Kissed  the  maids  a- milk- 
ing, 

Fa,  la,  la! 


And  with  his  merry  daffing 
He  set  them  all  a-laugh- 
ing, 

Ha,  ha,  ha! 


I  LOVE  my  love  with  an  A  because  he's  Agreeable. 

I  hate  him  because  he's  Avaricious. 

He  took  me  to  the  sign  of  the  Acorn, 

And  treated  me  with  Apples. 

His  name's  Andrew, 

And  he  lives  at  Arlington. 


356 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


SYLVIA,  sweet  as  morning  air, 
Do  not  drive  me  to  despair : 
Long  have  I  sighed  in  vain, 
Now  I  am  come  again, 

Will  you  be  mine  or  no,  no-a-no, — 

Will  you  be  mine  or  no? 


LOVE  AND  MATRIMONY. 357 

Simon,  pray  leave  off  your  suit, 

For  of  your  courting  you'll  reap  no  fruit; 

I  would  rather  give  a  crown 

Than  be  married  to  a  clown; 

Go  for  a  booby,  go,  no-a-no, — 

Go  for  a  booby,  go. 


"  WHERE  have  you  been  all  the  day, 

My  boy  Willy?" 
"  I've  been  all  the  day 

Courting  of  a  lady  gay: 

But  oh !  she's  too  young 

To  be  taken  from  her  mammy. " 
' '  What  work  can  she  do, 
My  boy  Willy? 

Can  she  bake  and  can  she  brew, 

My  boy  Willy?" 
"  She  can  brew  and  she  can  bake, 

And  she  can  make  our  wedding  cake : 

But  oh !  she's  too  young 

To  be  taken  from  her  mammy. " 
"  What  age  may  she  be?  What  age  may  she  be, 

My  boy  Willy?" 
"  Twice  two,  twice  seven, 

Twice  ten,  twice  eleven: 

But  oh !  she's  too  young 

To  be  taken  from  her  mammy. " 


A  cow  and  a  calf, 

An  ox  and  a  half, 
Forty  good  shillings  and  three; 

Is  that  not  enough  tocher 

For  a  shoemaker's  daughter, 
A  bonny  lass  with  a  black  e'e? 


358  NURSE R  Y  RHYMES. 


This  is  part  of  a  little  work  called  "Authentic  Memoirs  of  the  little 
Man  and  the  little  Maid,  with  some  interesting  particulars  of  their  lives," 
which  I  suspect  is  more  modern  than  the  following.  Walpole  printed  a 
small  broadside  containing  a  different  version. 

THERE  was  a  little  man, 

And  he  woo'd  a  little  maid, 
And  he  said,  "  Little  maid,  will  you  wed,  wed,  wed? 

I  have  little  more  to  say 

Than  will  you,  yea  or  nay? 
For  least  said  is  soonest  men-ded,  ded,  ded. " 

The  little  maid  replied, 
(Some  say  a  little  sighed,) 
"  But  what  shall  we  have  for  to  eat,  eat,  eat? 
Will  the  love  that  you're  so  rich  in 
Make  a  fire  in  the  kitchen? 
Or  the  little  God  of  Love  turn  the  spit,  spit,  spit?" 


LOVE  AND  MATRIMONY. 369 

LITTLE  Jack  Jingle, 

He  used  to  live  single; 
But  when  he  got  tired  of  this  kind  of  life, 
He  left  off  being  single,  and  lived  with  his  wife. 

WHEN  shall  we  be  married, 

My  dear  Nicholas  Wood  ? 
We  will  be  married  on  Monday, 

And  will  not  that  be  very  good  ? 
What,  shall  we  be  married  no  sooner  ? 

Why,  sure  the  man's  gone  wood!* 

What  shall  we  have  for  our  dinner, 

My  dear  Nicholas  Wood  ? 
We  will  have  bacon  and  pudding, 

And  will  not  that  be  very  good  ? 
What,  shall  we  have  nothing  more  ? 

Why,  sure  the  man's  gone  wood! 

Who  shall  we  have  at  our  wedding, 

My  dear  Nicholas  Wood  ? 
We  will  have  mammy  and  daddy, 
And  will  not  that  be  very  good  ? 
What,  shall  we  have  nobody  else  ? 

Why,  sure  the  man's  gone  wood. 

*  Mad.     This  sense  of  the  word  has  long  been  obsolete;  and  exhibits, 
therefore,  the  antiquity  of  these  lines. 

O  THE  little  rusty,  dusty,  rusty  miller ! 

I'll  not  change  my  wife  for  either  gold  or  siller. 

I  AM  a  pretty  girl, 

As  fair  as  any  pearl, 
And  sweethearts  I  can  get  none ; 

But  every  girl  that's  plain 

Can  many  sweethearts  gain, 
And  I,  pretty  girl,  can't  get  one. 


360 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


UP  hill  and  down  dale; 
Butter  is  made  in  every  vale 
And  if  that  Nancy  Cook 
Is  a  good  girl, 
She  shall  have  a  spouse, 
And  make  butter  anon, 
Before  her  old  grandmother 
Grows  a  young  man. 

WE'RE  all  dry  with  drinking  on 't, 
We're  all  dry  with  drinking  on  't; 
The  piper  spoke  to  the  fiddler's 

wife, 
And  I  can't  sleep  for  thinking 

on  't.     

ROSEMARY  green, 

And  lavender  blue, 
Thyme  and  sweet  marjoram, 

Hyssop  and  rue. 


DID  you  see  my  wife,  did  you  see,  did  you  see, 
Did  you  see  my  wife  looking  for  me  ? 

She  wears  a  straw  bonnet  with  white  ribbon  on  it, 
And  dimity  petticoats  over  her  knee. 

The  practice  of  sowing  hemp-seed  on  Allhallows  Even  is  often  alluded 
to  by  earlier  writers,  and  Gay,  in  his  "Pastorals,"  quotes  part  of  the 
following  lines  as  used  on  that  occasion: 

HEMP-SEED  I  set,  The  young  man  that  I  love, 

Hemp-seed  I  sow,  Come  after  me  and  mow! 


ON  Saturday  night 
Shall  be  all  my  care 
To  powder  my  locks 
And  curl  my  hair. 


On  Sunday  morning 
My  love  will  come  in, 
When  he  will  marry  me. 
With  a  gold  ring. 


LOVE  AND  MATRIMONY. 


361 


TOMMY  TROT,  a  man  of  law, 
Sold  his  bed  and  lay  upon  straw, — 
Sold  the  straw  and  slept  on  grass, 
To  buy  his  wife  a  looking-glass. 


WHERE  have  you  been  to-day,  Billy,  my  son  ? 
Where  have  you  been  to-day,  my  only  man  ? 
I've  been  a- wooing,  mother;  make  my  bed  soon, 
For  I'm  sick  at  heart,  and  fain  would  lie  down. 

What  have  you  ate  to-day,  Billy,  my  son  ? 
What  have  you  ate  to-day,  my  only  man  ? 
I've  ate  an  eel  pie,  mother;  make  my  bed  soon, 
For  I  am  sick  at  heart,  and  shall  die  before  noon ! 


362 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


"  LITTLE  maid,  pretty  maid,  whither 

goest  them?" 

' '  Down  in  the  forest  to  milk  my  cow. " 
"  Shall  I  go  with  thee?"     " No,  not 

now; 
When  I  send  for  thee,  then  come 

thou. " 

BIRDS  of  a  feather  flock  together, 
And  so  will  pigs  and  swine ; 

Rats  and  mice  will  have  their  choice, 
And  so  will  I  have  mine. 


LITTLE  Jack  Dandy-prat  was  my  first  suitor; 
He  had  a  dish  and  a  spoon,  and  he'd  some  pewter; 
He'd  linen  and  woollen,  and  woollen  and  linen, 
A  little  pig  in  a  string  cost  him  five  shilling. 


LOVE  AND  MATRIMONY.  363 


JACK  SPRAT  could  eat  no  fat, 

His  wife  could  eat  no  lean ; 
And  so,  betwixt  them  both,  you  see, 

They  licked  the  platter  clean. 

He.     IF  you  with  me  will  go,  my  love, 

You  shall  see  a  pretty  show,  my  love, 

Let  dame  say  what  she  will: 
If  you  will  have  me,  my  love, 
Iwill  have  thee,  my  love, 

So  let  the  milk-pail  stand  still. 

She.     Since  you  have  said  so,  my  love, 
Longer  I  will  go,  my  love, 

Let  dame  say  what  she  will: 
If  you  will  have  me,  my  love, 
I  will  have  thee,  my  love, 

So  let  the  milk- pail  stand  still 


JACK  in  the  pulpit,  out  and  in, 
Sold  his  wife  for  a  minikin,  pin, 


364 NURSERY  RHYMES. 

THE    KEYS    OF    CANTERBURY. 

OH,  madam,  I  will  give  you  the  keys  of  Canterbury, 
To  set  all  the  bells  ringing  when  we  shall  be  merry; 
If  you  will  but  walk  abroad  with  me, 
If  you  will  but  talk  with  me. 

Sir,  I'll  not  accept  of  the  keys  of  Canterbury, 

To  set  all  the  bells  ringing  when  we  shall  be  merry; 

Neither  will  I  walk  abroad  with  thee, 

Neither  will  I  talk  with  thee! 

Oh,  madam,  I  will  give  you  a  fine  carved  comb, 
To  comb  out  your  ringlets  when  I  am  from  home, 
If  you  will  but  walk  with  me,  &c. 
Sir,  I'll  not  accept,  &c. 

Oh,  madam,  I  will  give  you  a  pair  of  shoes  of  cork,* 
One  made  in  London,  the  other  made  in  York, 
If  you  will  but  walk  with  me,  &c. 
Sir,  I'll  not  accept,  &c. 

Madam,  I  will  give  you  a  sweet  silver  bell,f 
To  ring  up  your  maidens  when  you  are  not  well, 
If  you  will  but  walk  with  me,  &c. 
Sir,  I'll  not  accept,  &c. 

Oh,  my  man  John,  what  can  the  matter  be  ? 
I  love  the  lady  and  the  lady  loves  not  me ! 
Neither  will  she  walk  abroad  with  me, 
Neither  will  she  talk  with  me 

Oh,  master  dear,  do  not  despair, 

The  lady  she  shall  be,  shall  be  your  only  dear, 

And  she  will  walk  and  talk  with  thee, 

And  she  will  walk  with  thee ! 

*  This  proves  the  song  was  not  later  than  the  era  of  chopines,  or  high 
cork  shoes. 

t  Another  proof  of  antiquity.  It  must  probably  have  been  written 
before  the  invention  of  bell -pulls. 


LOVE  AKD  MATRIMONY. 365 

Oh,  madam,  I  will  give  you  the  keys  of  my  chest, 
To  count  my  gold  and  silver  when  I  am  gone  to  rest, 
If  you  will  but  walk  abroad  with  me, 
If  you  will  but  talk  with  me. 

Oh,  sir,  I  will  accept  of  the  keys  of  your  chest, 

To  count  your  gold  and  silver  when  you  are  gone  to  rest, 

And  I  will  walk  abroad  with  thee, 

And  I  will  talk  with  thee ! 


OH  !  mother,  I  shall  be  married  to  Mr.  Punchinello. 
To  Mr.  Punch, 
To  Mr.  Chin, 
To  Mr.  Nell, 
To  Mr.  Lo, 
Mr.  Punch,  Mr.  Chin, 
Mr.  Nell,  Mr.  Lo, 
To  Mr.  Punchinello. 


"MADAM,  I  am  come  to  court  you 

If  your  favor  I  can  gain. " 
"Ah,  ah!"  said  she,  "you  are  a  bold  fellow, 

If  I  e'er  see  your  face  again '" 
' '  Madam,  I  have  rings  and  diamonds, 

Madam,  I  have  houses  and  land, 

Madam,  I  have  a  world  of  treasure, — 

All  shall  be  at  your  command." 
' '  I  care  not  for  rings  and  diamonds, 

I  care  not  for  houses  and  land, 

I  care  not  for  a  world  of  treasure, 

So  that  I  have  but  a  handsome  man." 
"  Madam,  you  think  much  of  beauty: 

Beauty  hasteneth  to  decay, 

For  the  fairest  of  flowers  that  grow  in  summer 

Will  decay  and  fade  away. " 


366 NURSERY  RHYMES. 

CAN  you  make  me  a  cambric  shirt, 
Parsley,  sage,  rosemary,  and  thyme, 

Without  any  seam  or  needlework? 
And  you  shall  be  a  true  lover  of  mine. 

Can  you  wash  it  in  yonder  well, 

Parsley,  &c. 
Where  never  sprung  water,  nor  rain  ever  fell? 

And  you,  &c. 

Can  you  dry  it  on  yonder  thorn, 

Parsley,  &c. 
Which  never  bore  blossom  since  Adam  was  born? 

And  you,  &c. 

Now  you  have  asked  me  questions  three, 

Parsley,  &c. 
I  hope  you'll  answer  as  many  for  me, 

And  you,  &c. 

Can  you  find  me  an  acre  of  land, 

Parsley,  &c. 
Between  the  salt  water  and  the  sea-sand? 

And  you,  &c. 

Can  you  plough  it  with  a  ram's  horn, 

Parsley,  &c., 
And  sow  it  all  over  with  one  peppercorn? 

And  you,  &c. 

Can  you  reap  it  with  a  sickle  of  leather, 

Parsley,  &c. 
And  bind  it  up  with  a  peacock's  feather? 

And  you,  &c. 
When  you  have  done  and  finished  your  work, 

Parsley,  &c. 
Then  come  to  me  for  your  cambric  shirt, 

And  you,  &c. 


LOVE  AND  MATRIMONY.  367 


I  DOUBT,  I  doubt  my  fire  is  out, 

My  little  wife  isn't  at  home; 
I'll  saddle  my  dog,  and  I'll  bridle  my  cat, 

And  I'll  go  fetch  my  little  wife  home. 


MADAM,  I  will  give  you  a  fine  silken  gown, 
Nine  yards  wide  and  eleven  yards  long, 
If  you  will  be  my  gay  ladye. 

Sir,  I  won't  accept  your  fine  silken  gown, 
Nine  yards  wide  and  eleven  yards  long, 
Nor  will  I  be  your  gay  ladye. 

John,  my  man,  how  can  this  matter  be  ? 
I  love  a  lady  who  doesn't  love  me, 
Nor  will  she  be  my  gay  ladye. 

Peace,  master,  peace;  you  need  not  fear, 
She'll  be  your  love  and  only  dear, 

But  the  gold  ring  only  will  gain  you  her. 

Madam,  I'll  give  you  a  fine  golden  ring, 
To  go  to  church  to  be  married  in, 
If  you  will  be  my  gay  ladye. 

Sir,  I  will  accept  your  fine  golden  ring, 
To  go  to  church  to  be  married  in, 
And  I  will  be  your  gay  ladye. 

John,  my  man,  here's  a  crown  for  thee, 
For  winning  me  this  gay  ladye. 


368 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


This  nursery  song  may  probably  commemorate  a  part  of  Tom  Thumb's 
history,  extant  in  a  little  Danish  work,  treating  of  "  Swain  Tomling,  a 
man  no  bigger  than  a  thumb,  who  would  be  married  to  a  woman  three 
ells  and  three  quarters  long."  See  Mr.  Thorns'  Preface  to  "  Tom  &  Lin- 
coln," p.  xi. 

I  HAD  a  little  husband 

No  bigger  than  my  thumb, 
I  put  him  in  a  pint  pot, 
And  there  I  bid  him  drum. 


LOVE  AND  MATRIMONY. 


I  bought  a  little  horse, 

That  galloped  up  and  down; 
I  bridled  him,  and  saddled  him, 

And  sent  him  out  of  town. 

I  gave  him  some  garters, 
To  garter  up  his  hose, 

And  a  little  handkerchief, 
To  wipe  his  pretty  nose. 


THOMAS  and  Annis  met  in  the  dark. 

"Good  morning,"  said  Thomas. 

"Good  morning,"  said  Annis. 
And  so  they  began  to  talk. 


"I'll  give  you,"  says  Thoi 
" Give  me,"  says  Annis; 

"  I  prithee,  love,  tell  me  what?" 
"  Some  nuts,"  said  Thomas. 
"Some  nuts?"  said  Annis; 

"Nuts  are  good  to  crack." 

"I  love  you,"  said  Thomas. 
"  Love  me!"  said  Annis; 

"I  prithee,  love,  tell  me  where?" 
"  In  my  heart,"  said  Thomas. 
"In  your  heart!"  said  Annis; 

"  How  came  you  to  love  me  there?" 

"I'll  marry  you,"  said  Thomas. 

"Marry  me!"  said  Annis; 
' '  I  prithee,  love,  tell  me  when?" 
"Next  Sunday,"  said  Thomas. 

"Next  Sunday!"  said  Annis; 

"I  wish  next  Sunday  were  come." 


370 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


YOUNG  Roger  came  tapping  at  Dolly's  window, 

Thumpaty,  thumpaty,  thump! 
He  asked  for  admittance;  she  answered  him  "No!' 

Frumpaty,  frumpaty,  frump! 
"No,  no,  Roger,  no!  as  you  came  you  may  go!" 

Stumpaty,  stumpaty,  stump! 


LOVE  AND  MATRIMONY. 371 

I  MARRIED  my  wife  by  the  light  of  the  moon, 

A  tidy  housewife,  a  tidy  one ; 
She  never  gets  up  until  it  is  noon, 

And  I  hope  she'll  prove  a  tidy  one. 

And  when  she  gets  up,  she  is  slovenly  laced, 

A  tidy,  &c. 
She  takes  up  the  poker  to  roll  out  the  paste, 

And  I  hope,  &c. 
She  churns  her  butter  in  a  boot, 

A  tidy,  &c. 
And  instead  of  a  churn-staff  she  puts  in  her  foot, 

And  I  hope,  &c. 
She  lays  her  cheese  on  the  scullery  shelf, 

A  tidy,  &c. 
And  she  never  turns  it  till  it  turns  itself, 

And  I  hope,  &c. 

MASTER  I  have,  and  I  am  his  man, 

Gallop  a  dreary  dun ; 
Master  I  have,  and  I  am  his  man, 
And  I'll  get  a  wife  as  fast  as  I  can; 
With  a  heighly  gaily  gamberally, 

Higgledy  piggledy,  niggledy,  niggledy, 

Gallop  a  dreary  dun. 


SAW  ye  aught  of  my  love  a- coming  from  the  market? 

A  peck  of  meal  upon  her  back, 

A  babby  in  her  basket ; 
Saw  ye  aught  of  my  love  a-coming  from  the  market? 

UP  street,  and  down  street, 
Each  window's  made  of  glass; 

If  you  go  to  Tommy  Tickler's  house, 
You'll  find  a  pretty  lass. 


372  NURSERY  RHYMES. 


PETER,  Peter,  pumpkin  eater, 
Had  a  wife  and  couldn't  keep  her — 
He  put  her  in  a  pumpkin  shell, 
And  there  he  kept  her  very  well. 

BESSY  BELL  and  Mary  Gray, 
They  were  two  bonny  lasses: 

They  built  their  house  upon  the  lea, 
And  covered  it  with  rashes. 

Bessy  kept  the  garden  gate, 
And  Mary  kept  the  pantry; 

Bessy  always  had  to  wait, 
While  Mary  lived  in  plenty. 


CURLY  locks !  curly  locks !  wilt  thou  be  mine? 
Thou  shalt  not  wash  dishes,  nor  yet  feed  the  swine; 
But  sit  on  a  cushion  and  sew  a  fine  seam, 
And  feed  upon  strawberries,  sugar,  and  cream. 


LOVE  AND  MATRIMONY. 373 

Cumberland  Courtship. 

BONNY  lass,  canny  lass,  willta  be  mine? 

Thou'se  neither  wesh  dishes,  nor  sarrah  (serve)  the 

swine : 

Thou  sail  sit  on  a  cushion,  and  sew  up  a  seam, 
And  thou  sail  eat  strawberries,  sugar,  and  cream. 

MARGARET  wrote  a  letter, 
Sealed  it  with  her  finger, 
Threw  it  in  the  dam 
For  the  dusty  miller. 
Dusty  was  his  coat, 
Dusty  was  the  siller, 
Dusty  was  the  kiss 
I'd  from  the  dusty  miller, 
If  I  had  my  pockets 
Full  of  gold  and  siller, 
I  would  give  it  all 
To  my  dusty  miller. 
Chorus.     Oh,  the  little,  little 
Rusty,  dusty  miller. 

HERE  comes  a  lusty  woer,  For  your  fairest  daughter, 

My  a  dildin,  my  a  dal-  My  a  dildin,  my  a  dal- 

din;  din, 

Here  comes  a  lusty  woer,  For  your  fairest  daughter, 

Lily  bright  and  shine  a'.  Lily  bright  and  shine  a'. 

Pray  who  do  you  woo,  Then  there  she  is  for  you, 

My  a  dildin,  my  a  dal-  My  a  dildin,  my  a  dal- 

din?  din; 

Pray,  who  do  you  woo,  Then  there  she  is  for  you, 

Lily  bright  and  shine  a'?  Lily  bright  and  shine  a'. 

BLUE  eye  beauty.  Black  eye  blackie, 

Grey  eye  greedy,  Brown  eye  brownie. 


374 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


JACK  and  Jill  went  up  the  hill, 
To  fetch  a  pail  of  water; 


LOVE  AND  MATEIMONY. 


376 


J&ck  fell  down  and  broke  his  crown, 
And  Jill  came  tumbling  after. 


376  NURSER  Y  RHYMES. 


Little  Jane  ran  up  the  lane, 
To  hang  her  clothes  a- drying 

She  called  for  Nell  to  ring  the  bell, 
For  Jack  and  Jill  were  dying. 

Nimble  Dick  ran  up  so  quick, 
He  tumbled  over  a  timber, 

And  bent  his  bow  to  shoot  a  crow, 
And  killed  a  cat  in  the  window, 

LITTLE  Tom  Dandy 
Was  my  first  suitor, 

He  had  a  spoon  and  dish, 
And  a  little  pewter. 

O  RARE  Harry  Parry, 

When  will  you  marry? 
When  apples  and  pears  are  ripe. 

I'll  come  to  your  wedding, 

Without  any  bidding, 
And  dance  and  sing  all  the  night 


LOVE  AND  MATRIMONY,  377 


ROWLEY  POWLEY,  pudding  and 

pie, 
Kissed  the  girls  and  made  them 

cry; 

When  the  girls  begin  to  cry, 
Rowley  Powley  runs  away. 

LOVE  your  own,  kiss  your  own, 
Love  your  own  mother,  hinny, 

For  if  she  was  dead  and  gone, 
You'd  ne'er  get  such  another, 
hinny. 


THERE  was  a  little  pretty  lad, 

And  he  lived  by  himself, 
And  all  the  meat  he  got 

He  put  upon  a  shelf. 
The  rats  and  the  mice 

Did  lead  him  such  a  life, 
That  he  went  to  Ireland 

To  get  himself  a  wife. 
The  lanes  they  were  so  broad, 

And  the  fields  they  were  so  narrow, 
He  couldn't  get  his  wife  home 

Without  a  wheelbarrow. 

The  wheelbarrow  broke, 

My  wife  she  got  a  kick, 
The  deuce  take  the  wheelbarrow, 

That  spared  my  wife's  neck. 


378 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


LITTLE  Johnny  Jiggy  Jag, 
He  rode  a  penny  nag, 

And  went  to  Wigan  to  woo: 
When  he  came  to  a  beck, 
He  fell  and  broke  his  neck, — 

Johnny,  how  dost  thou  now? 

I  made  him  a  hat,  A  hat  and  a  feather, 

Of  my  coat-lap,  To  keep  out  cold  weather; 

And  stockings  of  pearly  So,    Johnny,    how    dost 

blue:  thou  now? 


EIGHTEENTH  CLASS. 

flcctutmlatiw  Stories. 

JOHN  BALL  shot  them  all; 
John  Scott  made  the  shot, 

But  John  Ball  shot  them  all. 
John  Wyming  made  the  priming, 
And  John  Brammer  made  the  rammer, 
And  John  Scott  made  the  shot, 

But  John  Ball  shot  them  all. 

John  Block  made  the  stock, 

And  John  Brammer  made  the  rammer, 
And  John  Wyming  made  the  priming. 
And  John  Scott  made  the  shot, 

But  John  Ball  shot  them  all. 

[3791 


§80 NURSERY  RHYMES. 

John  Crowder  made  the  powder, 
And  John  Block  made  the  stock, 
And  John  Wyming  made  the  priming, 
And  John  Brammer  made  the  rammer, 
And  John  Scott  made  the  shot, 
But  John  Ball  shot  them  all. 

John  Puzzle  made  the  muzzle, 
And  John  Crowder  made  the  powder, 
And  John  Block  made  the  stock, 
And  John  Wyming  made  the  priming, 
And  John  Brammer  made  the  rammer, 
And  John  Scott  made  the  shot, 
But  John  Ball  shot  them  all. 

John  Clint  made  the  flint, 
And  John  Puzzle  made  the  muzzle, 
And  John  Crowder  made  the  powder, 
And  John  Block  made  the  stock, 
And  John  Wyming  made  the  priming, 
And  John  Brammer  made  the  rammer, 
And  John  Scott  made  the  shot, 
But  John  Ball  shot  them  all. 

John  Patch  made  the  match, 
John  Clint  made  the  flint, 
John  Puzzle  made  the  muzzle, 
John  Crowder  made  the  powder, 
John  Block  made  the  stock, 
John  Wyming  made  the  priming, 
John  Brammer  made  the  rammer, 
John  Scott  made  the  shot, 
But  John  Ball  shot  them  all. 


is  the  MALT 

it  lay  in  the  House  that  Jack  buili 

Tmp  is  the  RAT 

That  ate  the  Malt, 


r. 


lay  in  the  House  that  Jack  built. 

Tm^istheCAT 
I  That  killed  the  Rat. 
That  ate  the  Malt, 
That  lay  in  the  House  thatjack  built 


That  worried  the  Cat} 
1    That  killed  the  Rat,, 


?a 

That  ate  the  Malt, 

lay  in  the  House  that 


Hj5  is.tkeCOWwith  the  crumpled  tor 
That  tossed  the  Dog, 


That, worried  the  Cat, 


That  killecTtheTKatj 
That  ate  the"  Malt. 


,t  lay'^infthe  House  that'Jack' built 


I Hiis  th^MAIDENall  forlorn, 
pTtiatjnilked  the  Cow  with  the  crumpled  horn. 
I  That  tossed  the  Dop,  S 

That  worried  the'Cat, 

Hat  killed  the  Eat, 


S  is  the  W  AH  all  tattered  audt  toi 
1  That  kissed  the  Maiden  aU  forlon 
That  milked  the.  Cow 

with  the  crumpled  fioh 
That  tossed  the  Dog, 
,t  worried  thq  Cat, 
at  killed  the  I\at, 
That  ate  the  JYCalt, 

lay  in  the  House, 


f 

gp\$  is aePRIESyail  shaven  and  sWn, 

That  married  the  Man  all  tattered  and  torn,! 

That  kissed  Ihe  Maiden  all  forlorn, 
(That  milked  the  Cow  with  the  crumpled  horn, 
| I  That  tossed  theT)og, 

t    I  '  , .       - 

That  worried  the  Cat, 
That  killed  the  Rat, 
That  ate  the  Malt, 

rt  fay  in  the  House  "that  Tack  built 
Qj     > 


H\$  is  theCOCJfohat  crowed  m  thejnjorJ 
That  waked  the  Priest  all  shaven  and  sharp, 
That  married  the  Man  all  tattered  and  tornl 
That  kissed  the  Maiden  all  forlorn, 
That  milked  the  cow  with  the  crumpled 

That  tossed  the  Dogf 

That  worried  the  Cat, 

That  killed  the  Rat, 

that  ate  the  Malt, 
.t  laj  in  the  House  that  Jack  buflt 


H  I'p  is  the  J^ARWER  who  sowed  the  com, 
Thai  fed  the  Cock  that  crowed  in  the  tnorft, 
That  waked  the  Priest  all  shaven  and  shorn, 
/That  married  the  Man  all  tattered  and  torn,, 
That  kissed  the  Maiden  all  forlorn, 

jnilked  the  Cow  with  the  crumpled  htah 
That  tossed  the  Dog,  \ 

That  worried  the  Cat; 

That  killed  the  Rat, 
i\  .  \ 

That  ate  the  Malt* 

iftfrlay  in  the-  House  that  Jack  bnilt 


That  belonged  to  the  Fanner  who  sowed  the  co 


That  fed  the  Cock  that  crowed  in.the  morn, 
That  waked  the  Priest  all  shaven  and  shorn. 


That  married  the  Man  all  tattered  and  torn, 

\ 
That  kissed  the  Maiden  all  forlorn, 

That  milked  the  Cow  with  the  crumpled 


That  tossed  the  Dog, 
That  worried  the  Cat^ 
That  killed  the  Itet, 


is  the  HOI^SE  andi  the  HOUND  and  the  HO) 

rn. 


horn, 


That  ate  the  Malt, 
That  lay  in  the  House  that  Tack  built, 


^ ACCUMULATIVE  STORIES. 389 

The  original  of  ' '  The  house  that  Jack  built  "is  presumed  to  be  a  hymn 
in  "  Seper  Haggadah,"  fol.  23,  a  translation  of  which  is  here  given.  The 
historical  interpretation  was  first  given  by  P.  N.  Leberecht,  at  Leipsic, 
in  1731,  and  is  printed  in  the  "Christian  Reformer,"  vol.  xvii.,  p.  28. 
The  original  is  in  the  Chaldee  language,  and  it  may  be  mentioned  that  a 
very  fine  Hebrew  manuscript  of  the  fable,  with  illuminations,  is  in  the 
possession  of  George  Offer,  Esq.,  London.  It  is  inserted  in  the  Hebrew 
Passover  Service  Book  and  concludes  the  service  for  the  first  two  nights 
of  the  Passover. 

1.  A  kid,  a  kid,  my  father  bought 
For  two  pieces  of  money : 

A  kid,  a  kid. 

2.  Then  came  the  cat,  and  ate  the  kid, 
That  my  father  bought 

For  two  pieces  of  money : 

A  kid,  a  kid. 

3.  Then  came  the  dog,  and  bit  the  cat, 
That  ate  the  kid, 

That  my  father  bought 
For  two  pieces  of  money : 

A  kid,  a  kid. 

4.  Then  came  the  staff,  and  beat  the  dog, 
That  bit  the  cat, 

That  ate  the  kid, 
That  my  father  bought 
For  two  pieces  of  money : 

A  kid,  a  kid. 

5.  Then  came  the  fire,  and  burned  the  staff 
That  beat  the  dog, 

That  bit  the  cat, 
That  ate  the  kid, 
That  my  father  bought 
For  two  pieces  of  money: 

A  kid,  a  kid. 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


Then  came  the  water,  amd  quenched  the  fire, 

That  burned  the  staff, 

That  beat  the  dog, 

That  bit  the  cat, 

That  ate  the  kid, 

That  my  father  bought 

For  two  pieces  of  money: 

A  kid,  a  kid. 

Then  came  the  ox  and  drank  the  water, 

That  quenched  the  fire, 

That  burned  the  staff, 

That  beat  the  dog, 

That  bit  the  cat, 

That  ate  the  kid, 

That  my  father  bought 

For  two  pieces  of  money: 

A  kid,  a  kid. 

Then  came  the  butcher,  and  slew  the  ox, 

That  drank  the  water, 

That  quenched  the  fire, 

That  burned  the  staff, 

That  beat  the  dog, 

That  bit  the  cat, 

That  ate  the  kid, 

That  my  father  bought 

For  two  pieces  of  money: 

A  kid,  a  kid. 

Then  came  the  angel  of  death,  and  killed  the  butcher, 

That  slew  the  ox, 

That  drank  the  water, 

The  quenched  the  fire, 

That  burned  the  staff, 

That  beat  the  dog, 


ACCUMULATIVE  STORIES. 391 

That  bit  the  cat, 
That  ate  the  kid, 
That  my  father  bought 
For  two  pieces  of  money : 

A  kid,  a  kid 

10.    Then  came  the  Holy  One,  blessed  be  He 
And  killed  the  angel  of  death, 
That  killed  the  butcher, 
That  slew  the  ox, 
That  drank  the  water, 
That  quenched  the  fire, 
That  burned  the  staff, 
That  beat  the  dog, 
That  bit  the  cat, 
That  ate  the  kid, 
That  my  father  bought 
For  two  pieces  of  money: 

A  kid,  a  kid. 

The  following  is  the  interpretation: 

1.  The  kid,  which  was  one  of  the  pure  animals,  denotes  the  Hebrews. 
The  father  by  whom  it  was  purchased  is  Jehovah,  who  represents 

Himself  as  sustaining  this  relation  to  the  Hebrew  nation.  The  two 
pieces  of  money  signify  Moses  and  Aaron,  through  whose  mediation  the 
Hebrews  were  brought  out  of  Egypt. 

2.  The  cat  denotes  the  Assyrians,  by  whom  the  ten  tribes  were  carried 
into  captivity. 

3.  The  dog  is  symbolical  of  the  Babylonians. 

4.  The  staff  signifies  the  Persians. 

5.  The  fire  indicates  the  Grecian  empire  under  Alexander  the  Great. 

6.  The  water  betokens  the  Roman,  or  the  fourth  of  the  great  monar- 
chies to  whose  dominion  the  Jews  were  subjected. 

7.  The  ox  is  a  symbol  of  the  Saracens,  who  subdued  Palestine,  and 
brought  it  under  the  caliphate. 

8.  The  butcher  that  killed  the  ox  denotes  the  crusaders,  by  whom  the 
Holy  Land  was  wrested  out  of  the  hands  of  the  Saracens. 

9.  The  angel  of  death  signifies  the  Turkish  power,  by  which  the  land 
of  Palestine  was  taken  from  the  Franks,  and  to  which  it  is  still  subject. 

10.  The  commencement  of  the  tenth  stanza  is  designed  to  show  that 
God  will  take  signal  vengeance  on  the  Turks,  immediately  after  whose 
overthrow  the  Jews  are  to  be  restored  to  their  own  land,  and  live  under 
the  government  of  their  long-expected  Messiah, 


392 NURSERY  RHYMES. ^ 

AN  old  woman  was  sweeping  her  house,  and  she 
found  a  little  crooked  sixpence.  "What,"  said  she, 
"shall  I  do  with  this  little  sixpence?  I  will  go  to  market 
and  buy  a  little  pig."  As  she  was  coming  home  she 
came  to  a  stile;  the  piggy  would  not  go  over  the  stile. 

She  went  a  little  farther,  and  she  met  a  dog.  So  she 
said  to  the  dog,  ' '  Dog !  bite  pig ;  piggy  won't  go  over 
the  stile,  and  I  shan't  get  home  to-night. "  But  the 
dog  would  not. 

She  went  a  little  farther,  and  she  met  a  stick.  So 
she  said,  "Stick!  stick!  beat  dog;  dog  won't  bite  pig; 
piggy  won't  get  over  the  stile,  and  I  shan't  get  home 
to-night. "  But  the  stick  would  not. 

She  went  a  little  farther,  and  she  met  a  fire.  So  she 
said,  "Fire!  fire!  burn  stick;  stick  won't  beat  dog;  dog 
won't  bite  pig,"  (and  so  fort k,  always  repeating  the 
foregoing  words. )  But  the  fire  would  not. 

She  went  a  little  farther,  and  she  met  some  water. 
So  she  said,  "Water!  water!  quench  fire;  fire  won't 
burn  stick,"  &c.  But  the  water  would  not. 

She  went  a  little  farther,  and  she  met  an  ox.  So  she 
said,  "Ox!  ox!  drink  water;  water  won't  quench  fire, " 
&c.  But  the  ox  would  not. 

She  went  a  little  farther,  and  she  met  a  butcher. 
So  she  said,  "Butcher!  butcher!  kill  ox;  ox  won't 
drink  water,"  &c.  But  the  butcher  would  not. 

She  went  a  little  farther,  and  she  met  a  rope.  So 
she  said,  ' '  Rope !  rope !  hang  butcher ;  butcher  won't 
kill  ox, "  &c.  But  the  rope  would  not. 

So  she  went  a  little  farther,  and  she  met  a  rat.  So 
she  said,  "Rat!  rat!  gnaw  rope;  rope  won't  hang 
butcher, "  &c.  But  the  rat  would  not. 

So  she  went  a  little  farther,  and  she  met  a  cat.  So 
she  said,  "Cat!  cat!  kill  rat,  rat  won't  gnaw  rope," 


394 NURSERY  EHYMES. 

&c.  But  the  cat  said  to  her,  ' '  If  you  will  go  to  yonder 
cow  and  fetch  me  a  saucer  of  milk,  I  will  kill  the  rat. " 
So  away  went  the  old  woman  to  the  cow. 

But  the  cow  said  to  her,  ' '  If  you  will  go  to  yonder 
haystack*  and  fetch  me  a  handful  of  hay,  I'll  give  you 
the  milk. "  So  away  went  the  old  woman  to  the  hay- 
stack ;  and  she  brought  the  hay  to  the  cow. 

As  soon  as  the  cow  had  eaten  the  hay  she  gave  the 
old  woman  the  milk,  and  away  she  went  with  it  in  a 
saucer  to  the  cat. 

As  soon  as  the  cat  had  lapped  up  the  milk,  the  cat 
began  to  kill  the  rat;  the  rat  began  to  gnaw  the  rope; 
the  rope  began  to  hang  the  butcher;  the  butcher  began 
to  kill  the  ox ;  the  ox  began  to  drink  the  water ;  the 
water  began  to  quench  the  fire ;  the  fire  began  to  burn 
the  stick;  the  stick  began  to  beat  the  dog;  the  dog  be- 
gan to  bite  the  pig;  the  little  pig  in  a  fright  jumped 
over  the  stile;  and  so  the  old  woman  got  home  that 
night. 

*  Or  haymakers,  proceeding  thus  in  the  stead  of  the  rest  of  this  para- 
graph: * '  And  fetch  me  a  wisp  of  hay,  I'll  give  you  the  milk."  So  away 
the  old  woman  went;  but  the  haymakers  said  to  her,  "If  you  will  go  to 
yonder  stream  and  fetch  us  a  bucket  of  water,  we'll  give  you  the  hay." 
So  away  the  old  woman  went,  but  when  she  got  to  the  stream,  she  found 
the  bucket  was  full  of  holes.  So  she  covered  the  bottom  with  pebbles, 
and  then  filled  the  bucket  with  water,  and  away  she  went  back  with  it  to 
the  haymakers,  and  they  gave  her  a  wisp  of  hay. 


396 


NURSERY  RHYMES. 


TITTY  MOUSE  and  Tatty  Mouse  both  lived  in  a  hov*e, 
Titty   Mouse  went  a-leasing,  and  Tatty  Mouse  we*rt 

a-leasing 
So  they  both  went  a-leasing. 

Titty  Mouse  leased  an  ear  of  corn,  and  Tatty  Mouse 

leased  an  ear  of  corn, 
So  they  both  leased  an  ear  of  corn. 

Titty  Mouse  made  a  pudding,  and  Tatty  Mouse  made  a 

pudding, 

So  they  both  made  a  pudding. 

And  Tatty  Mouse  put  her  pudding  into  the  pot  to  boil, 
But  when  Titty  went  to  put  hers  in  the  pot,  it  tumbled 

over  and  scalded  her  to  death. 


ACCUMULATIVE  STORIES.  397 

Then  Tatty  sat  down  and  wept.  Then  a  three-legged 
stool  said,  ' '  Tatty,  why  do  you  weep?"  • '  Titty's  dead, " 
said  Tatty,  "and  so  I  weep."  Then  said  the  stool, 
"I'll  hop;"  so  the  stool  hopped.  Then  a  besom  in  the 
corner  of  the  room  said,  "Stool,  why  do  you  hop?" 
"Oh!"  said  the  stool,  "Titty's  dead,  and  Tatty  weeps, 
and  so  I  hop."  Then  said  the  besom,  "I'll  sweep;" 
so  the  besom  began  to  sweep.  Then  said  the  door, 
"  Besom,  why  do  you  sweep?"  "Oh!"  said  the  besom, 
"Titty's  dead,  and  Tatty  weeps,  and  the  stool  hops, 
and  so  I  sweep."  Then  said  the  door,  "I'll  jar;"  so 
the  door  jarred.  Then  said  the  window,  "Door,  why 
do  you  jar?"  "Oh!"  said  the  door,  "  Titty's  dead,  and 
Tatty  weeps,  and  the  stool  hops,  and  the  besom  sweeps, 
and  so  I  jar."  Then  said  the  window,  "111  creak;" 
so  the  window  creaked.  Now,  there  was  an  old  form 
outside  the  house,  and  when  the  window  creaked,  the 
form  said,  "Window,  why  do  you  creak?"  "Oh!" 
said  the  window,  "  Titty's  dead,  and  Tatty  weeps,  and 
the  stool  hops,  and  the  besom  sweeps,  the  door  jars, 
and  so  I  creak."  Then  said  the  old  form,  "I'll  run 
round  the  house;"  then  the  old  form  ran  rouud  the 
house.  Now,  there  was  a  fine  large  walnut-tree  grow- 
ing by  the  cottage,  and  the  tree  said  to  the  form, 
"Form,  why  do  you  run  round  the  house?"  "Oh!" 
said  the  form,  "Titty's  dead,  and  Tatty  weeps,  and  the 
stool  hops,  and  the  besom  sweeps,  the  door  jars,  and 
the  window  creaks,  and  so  I  run  round  the  house." 
Then  said  the  walnut  tree,  "I'll  shed  my  leaves;"  so 
the  walnut-tree  shed  all  its  beautiful  green  leaves. 
Now,  there  was  a  little  bird  perched  on  one  of  the 
boughs  of  the  tree,  and  when  all  the  leaves  fell,  it  said, 
"  Walnut-tree,  why  do  you  shed  your  leaves?"  "Oh!" 
said  the  tree,  "  Titty's  dead,  and  Tatty  weeps,  the  stool 
hops,  and  the  besom  sweeps,  the  door  jars,  and  the 


398 JVURSERY  RHYMES. 

window  creaks,  the  old  form  runs  round  the  house,  and 
so  I  shed  my  leaves."  Then  said  the  little  bird,  "I'll 
moult  all  my  feathers;"  so  he  moulted  all  his  pretty 
feathers.  Now,  there  was  a  little  girl  walking-  below, 
carrying  a  jug  of  milk  for  her  brothers'  and  sisters'  sup- 
per, and  when  she  saw  the  poor  little  bird  moult  all  its 
feathers,  she  said,  ' '  Little  bird,  why  do  you  moult  all 
your  feathers?"  "Oh!"  said  the  little  bird,  "Titty's 
dead,  and  Tatty  weeps,  the  stool  hops,  and  the  besom 
sweeps,  the  door  jars,  and  the  window  creaks,  the  old 
form  runs  round  the  house,  the  walnut-tree  sheds  its 
leaves,  and  so  I  moult  all  my  feathers. "  Then  said  the 
little  girl,  "I'll  spill  the  milk;"  so  she  dropped  the 
pitcher  and  spilt  the  milk.  Now,  there  was  an  old  man 
just  by  on  the  top  of  a  ladder  thatching  a  rick, 
and  when  he  saw  the  little  girl  spill  the  milk, 
he  said,  ' '  Little  girl,  what  do  you  mean  by  spilling 
the  milk?  Your  little  brothers  and  sisters  must  go 
without  their  supper."  Then  said  the  little  girl, 
"Titty's  dead,  and  Tatty  weeps,  the  stool  hops,  and  the 
besom  sweeps,  the  door  jars,  and  the  window  creaks,  the 
the  old  form  runs  round  the  house,  the  walnut-tree 
sheds  all  its  leaves,  the  little  bird  moults  all 
its  feathers,  and  so  I  spilt  the  milk."  "Oh!"  said 
the  old  man,  "then  I'll  tumble  off  the  ladder  and  break 
my  neck;"  so  he  tumbled  off  the  ladder  and  broke  his 
neck.  And  when  the  old  man  broke  his  neck,  the  great 
walnut-tree  fell  down  with  a  crash,  and  upset  the  old 
form  and  house,  and  the  house  falling  knocked  the  win- 
dow out,  and  the  window  knocked  the  door  down,  and 
the  door  upset  the  besom,  the  besom  upset  the  stool, 
and  poor  little  Tatty  Mouse  was  buried  beneath  the 
ruins. 


NINETEENTH  CLASS. 

fireside  Stories. 

THE   STORY    OF    THE   THREE   LITTLE    PIGS. 

ONCE  upon  a  time  there  was  an  old  sow  with  three 
little  pigs,  and  as  she  had  not  enough  to  keep  them,  she 
sent  them  out  to  seek  their  fortune.  The  first  that 
went  off  met  a  man  with  a  bundle  of  straw,  and  said  to 
him,  "  Please,  man,  give  me  that  straw  to  build  me  a 
house;"  which  the  man  did,  and  the  little  pig  built  a 
house  with  it.  Presently  came  along  a  wolf,  and 
knocked  at  the  door  and  said,  ' '  Little  pig,  little  pig,  let 
me  come  in. " 

To  which  the  pig  answered,  ' '  No,  no,  by  the  hair  of 
my  chiny  chin  chin." 

The  wolf  then  answered  to  that,  "Then  I'll  huff,  and 
I'll  puff,  and  I'll  blow  your  house  in."  So  he  huffed, 
and  he  puffed,  and  he  blew  his  house  in,  and  ate  up  the 
little  pig. 

The  second  little  pig  met  a  man  with  a  bundle  of 
furze,  and  said,  "Please,  man,  give  me  that  furze  to 
build  a  house;"  which  the  man  did,  and  the  pig  built 
his  house.  Then  along  came  the  wolf,  and  said, 
"  Little  pig,  little  pig,  let  me  come  in." 

"  No,  no,  by  the  hair  of  my  chiny  chin  chin." 

"Then  I'll  puff,  and  I'll  huff,  and  I'll  blow  your 
house  in. "  So  he  huffed,  and  he  puffed,  and  he  puffed, 
and  he  huffed,  and  at  last  he  blew  the  house  down,  and 
he  ate  up  the  little  pig. 

The  third  little  pig  met  a  man  with  a  load  of  bricks, 
and  said,  ' '  Please,  man,  give  me  those  bricks  to  build 
a  house  with;"  so  the  man  gave  him  the  bricks,  and  he 
built  his  house  with  them.  So  the  wolf  came,  as  he  did 
to  the  other  little  pigs,  and  said,  "  Little  pig,  little  pig, 
let  me  come  in." 

"  No,  no,  by  the  hair  of  my  chiny  chin  chin." 

"Then  I'll  huff,  and  I'll  puff,  and  I'll  blow  your 
house  in." 

Well,  he  huffed,  and  he  puffed,  and  he  huffed,  and 
he  puffed,  and  he  puffed,  and  he  huffed;  but  he  could 
not  get  the  house  down.  When  he  found  that  he  could 
not,  with  all  his  huffing  and  puffing,  blow  the  housf) 

[399] 


400 NURSERY  RHYMES. 

down,  he  said,  ' '  Little  pig,  I  know  where  there  is  a  nice 
field  of  turnips." 

"Where?"  said  the  little  pig. 

"Oh,  in  Mr.  Smith's  home-field,  and  if  you  will  be 
ready  to-morrow  morning  I  will  call  for  you,  and  we 
will  go  together,  and  get  some  for  dinner. " 

"Very  well,"  said  the  little  pig,  "I  will  be  ready. 
What  time  do  you  mean  to  go  ?" 

"Oh,  at  six  o'clock." 

Well,  the  little  pig  got  up  at  five,  and  got  the  turnips 
before  the  wolf  came — (which  he  did  about  six) — and 
who  said,  "  Little  pig,  are  you  ready?" 

The  little  pig  said,  ' '  Ready !  I  have  been,  and  come 
back  again,  and  got  a  nice  pot-full  for  dinner." 

The  wolf  felt  very  angry  at  this,  but  thought  that  he 
would  be  up  to  the  little  pig  somehow  or  other,  so  he 
he  said,  ' '  Little  pig,  I  know  where  there  is  a  nice  apple- 
tree." 

"Where?"  said  the  pig. 

"  Down  at  Merry-garden,"  replied  the  wolf,  "and  if 
you  will  not  deceive  me  I  will  come  for  you,  at  five 
o'clock  to-morrow,  and  we  will  go  together  and  get 
some  apples. " 

Well,  the  little  pig  bustled  up  the  next  morning  at 
four  o'clock,  and  went  off  for  the  apples,  hoping  to  get 
back  before  the  wolf  came ;  but  he  had  farther  to  go, 
and  had  to  climb  the  tree,  so  that  just  as  he  was  coming 
down  from  it,  he  saw  the  wolf  coming,  which,  as  you 
may  suppose,  frightened  him  very  much.  When  the 
wolf  came  up  he  said,  "  Little  pig,  what!  are  you  here 
before  me?  Are  they  nice  apples  ?" 

"  Yes,  very,"  said  the  little  pig.  "  I  will  throw  you 
down  one;"  and  he  threw  it  so  far,  that,  while  the  wolf 
was  gone  to  pick  it  up,  the  little  pig  jumped  down  and 
ran  home. 

The  next  day  the  wolf  came  again,  and  said  to  the 
little  pig,  "Little  pig,  there  is  a  fair  at  Shanklin  this 
afternoon,  will  you  go?" 

"Oh,  yes,"  said  the  pig,  "  I  will  go;  what  time  shall 
you  be  ready?" 

**  At  three,"  said  the  wolf. 


402 NURSEEY  RHYMES. ^ 

So  the  little  pig  went  off  before  the  time  as  usual, 
and  got  to  the  fair,  and  bought  a  butter- churn,  which 
he  was  going  home  with,  when  he  saw  the  wolf  coming. 
Then  he  could  not  tell  what  to  do.  So  he  got  into  the 
churn  to  hide,  and  by  so  doing  turned  it  round,  and  it 
rolled  down  the  hill  with  the  pig  in  it,  which  frightened 
the  wolf  so  much,  that  he  ran  home  without  going  to 
the  fair.  He  went  to  the  little  pig's  house,  and  told 
him  how  frightened  he  had  been  by  a  great  round  thing 
which  came  down  the  hill  past  him.  Then  the  little  pig 
said,  "  Hah,  I  frightened  you,  then?  I  had  been  to  the 
fair  and  bought  a  butter- churn,  and  when  I  saw  you,  I 
got  into  it,  and  rolled  down  the  hill."  Then  the  wol£ 
was  very  angry  indeed,  and  delared  he  would  eat  up  the 
little  pig,  and  that  he  would  get  down  the  chimney  after 
him.  When  the  little  pig  saw  what  he  was  about,  he 
hung  on  the  pot  full  of  water,  and  made  up  a  blazing 
fire,  and,  just  as  the  wolf  was  coming  down,  took  off 
the  cover,  and  in  fell  the  wolf;  so  the  little  pig  put  on 
the  cover  again  in  an  instant,  boiled  him  up,  and  ate 
him  for  supper,  and  lived  happy  ever  after. 


TEENY-TINY.* 

ONCE  upon  a  time  there  was  a  teeny-tiny  woman 
lived  in  a  teeny- tiny  house  in  a  teeny-tiny  village.  Now, 
one  day  this  teeny-tiny  woman  put  on  her  teeny-tiny 
bonnet,  and  went  out  of  her  teeny-tiny  house  to  take  a 
teeny-tiny  walk.  And  when  this  teeny-tiny  woman 
had  gone  a  teeny-tiny  way,  she  came  to  a  teeny-tiny 
gate;  so  the  teeny-tiny  woman  opened  the  teeny-tiny 
gate,  and  went  into  a  teeny -tiny  churchyard.  And 
when  this  teeny -tiny  woman  had  got  into  the  teeny- tiny 
churchyard,  she  saw  a  teeny  tiny  bone  on  a  teeny-tiny 
grave,  and  the  teeny-tiny  woman  said  to  her  teeny-tiny 
self,  "This  teeny-tiny  bone  will  make  me  some  teeny- 
tiny  soup  for  my  teeny  tiny  supper  "  So  the  teeny- tiny 

*This  simple  tale  seldom  fails  to  rivet  the  attention  of  children,  es- 
pecially if  well  told.  'I  he  last  two  words  should  be  said  loudly  with  a 
Start.  It  was  obtained  from  oral  tradition. 


FIRESIDE  STORIES. 403 

woman   put   the   teeny-tiny  bone  into  her   teeny-tiny 
pocket,  and  went  home  to  her  teeny-tiny  house. 

Now  when  the  teeny-tiny  woman  got  home  to  her 
teeny- tiny  house,  she  was  a  teeny- tiny  tired;  so  she 
went  up  her  teeny-tiny  stairs  to  her  teeny-tiny  bed,  and 
put  the  teeny-tiny  bone  into  a  teeny-tiny  cupboard. 
And  when  this  teeny-tiny  woman  had  been  asleep  a 
teeny-tiny  time,  she  was  awakened  by  a  teeny-tiny  voice 
from  the  teeny-tiny  cupboard,  which  said,  ' '  Give  me 
my  bone!"  And  this  teeny-tiny  woman  was  a  teeny-tiny 
frightened,  so  she  hid  her  teeny-tiny  head  under  the 
teeny-tiny  clothes,  and  went  to  sleep  again.  And  when 
she  had  been  to  sleep  again  a  teeny-tiny  time,  the  teeny- 
tiny  voice  again  cried  out  from  the  teeny-tiny  cupboard 
a  teeny-tiny  louder,  "Give  me  my  bone!"  This  made 
the  teeny-tiny  woman  a  teeny-tiny  more  frightened,  so 
she  hid  her  teeny-tiny  head  a  teeny-tiny  farther  under 
the  teeny-tiny  clothes,  And  when  the  teeny- tiny  woman 
had  been  to  sleep  again  a  teeny  tiny  time,  the  teeny- 
tiny  voice  from  the  teeny- tiny  cupboard  said  again  a 
teeny-tiny  louder,  "GIVE  ME  MY  BONE!"  At  this  the 
teeny- tiny  woman  was  a  teeny- tiny  bit  more  frightened, 
but  she  put  her  teeny-tiny  head  out  of  the  teeny-tiny 
clothes,  and  said  in  her  loudest  teeny- tiny  voice,  "  TAKE 
IT!!" 

THE    MISER    AND    HIS    WIFE.* 

ONCE  upon  a  time  there  was  an  old  miser,  who  lived 
with  his  wife  near  a  great  town,  and  used  to  put  by 
every  bit  of  money  he  could  lay  his  hands  on.  His 
wife  was  a  simple  woman,  and  they  lived  together  with- 
out quarreling,  but  she  was  obliged  to  put  up  with  very 

*  "Let  us  cast  away  nothing,"  says  Mr.  Gifford,  "for  we  know  not 
what  use  we  may  have  for  it."  So  will  every  one  admit  whose  reading 
has  been  sufficiently  extensive  to  enable  him  to  judge  of  the  value  of  the 
simplest  traditional  tales.  The  present  illustrates  a  passage  in  Ben  Jon- 
son  in  a  very  remarkable  manner: 

— Say  we  are  robbed, 
If  any  come  to  borrow  a  spoon  or  so; 
I  will  not  have  Good  Fortune  or  God's  Blessing 
Let  in  while  I  am  busy. 


404 NURSERY  RHYMES. 

hard  fare.  Now,  sometimes,  when  there  was  a  six- 
pence she  thought  might  be  spared  for  a  comfortable 
dinner  or  supper,  she  used  to  ask  the  miser  for  it,  but  he 
would  say,  ' '  No,  wife,  it  must  be  put  by  for  Good  For- 
tune. "  It  was  the  same  with  every  penny  he  could  get 
hold  of,  and,  notwithstanding  all  she  could  say,  almost 
every  coin  that  came  into  the  house  was  "put  by  for 
Good  Fortune." 

The  miser  said  this  so  often  that  some  of  his  neigh- 
bors heard  him,  and  one  of  them  thought  of  a  trick  by 
which  he  might  get  the  money.  So  the  first  day  that 
the  old  chuff  was  away  from  home,  he  dressed  himself 
like  a  wayfaring  man,  and  knocked  at  the  door.  ' '  Who 
are  you?"  said  the  wife.  He  answered,  "  I  am  Good 
Fortune,  and  I  am  come  for  the  money  which  your  hus- 
band has  laid  by  for  me."  So  this  simple  woman,  not 
suspecting  any  trickery,  readily  gave  it  to  him,  and  when 
her  good  man  came  home,  told  him  very  pleasantly  that 
Good  Fortune  had  called  for  the  money  which  had  been 
kept  so  long  for  him. 

THE    THREE    QUESTIONS. 

THERE  lived  formerly  in  the  county  of  Cumberland  a 
nobleman  who  had  three  sons,  two  of  whom  were 
comely  and  clever  youths,  but  the  other  was  a  natural 
fool,  named  Jack,  who  was  generally  dressed  in  a  parti- 
colored coat  and  a  steeple-crowned  hat  with  a  tassel,  as 
became  his  condition.  Now,  the  King  of  the  East 
Angles  had  a  beautiful  daughter,  who  was  distinguished 
by  her  great  ingenuity  and  wit,  and  he  issued  a  decree 
that  whoever  should  answer  three  questions  put  to  him 
by  the  Princess  should  have  her  in  marriage,  and  be 
heir  to  the  crown  at  his  decease.  Shortly  after  this 
decree  was  published,  news  of  it  reached  the  ears  of  the 
nobleman's  sons,  and  the  two  clever  ones  determined 
to  have  a  trial,  but  they  were  sadly  at  a  loss  to  prevent 
their  idiot  brother  from  going  with  them.  They  could 
not  by  any  means  get  rid  of  him,  and  were  compelled 
at  length  to  let  Jack  accompany  them.  They  had  not 
gone  far  before  Jack  shrieked  with  laughter,  saying, 
"  I  have  found  an  egg. "  "  Put  it  in  your  pocket,"  said 


FIRESIDE  STORIES. 405 

the  brothers.  A  little  while  afterwards  he  burst  out 
into  another  fit  of  laughter  on  finding  a  crooked  hazel 
stick,  which  he  also  put  in  his  pocket ;  and  a  third  time 
he  again  laughed  extravagantly  because  he  found  a 
nut.  That  also  was  put  with  his  other  treasures. 

When  they  arrived  at  the  palace,  they  were  imme- 
diately admitted  on  mentioning  the  nature  of  their 
business,  and  were  ushered  into  a  room  where  the  Prin- 
cess and  her  suite  were  sitting.  Jack,  who  never  stood 
on  ceremony,  bawled  out,  ' '  What  a  troop  of  fair  ladies 
we've  got  here!"  "Yes,"  said  the  Princess,  "we  are 
fair  ladies,  for  we  carry  fire  in  our  bosoms."  "Do 
you?"  said  Jack,  "then  roast  me  an  egg,  "pulling  out 
the  egg  from  his  pocket.  "  How  will  you  get  it  out 
again?"  said  the  Princess.  "With  a  crooked  stick," 
replied  Jack,  producing  the  hazel.  "Where  did  that 
come  from?"  said  the  Princess.  "From  a  nut,"  an- 
swered Jack,  pulling  out  the  nut  from  his  pocket.  And 
"thus  the  fool  of  the  family,"  having  been  the  first  to 
answer  the  questions  of  the  Princess,  was  married  to 
her  the  next  day,  and  ultimately  succeeded  to  the 
throne. 

THE   CAT    AND    THE   MOUSE.* 

THE  cat  and  the  mouse 
Played  in  the  malt-house: 

The  cat  bit  the  mouse's  tail  off.  "Pray,  puss,  give  me 
my  tail."  "No,"  says  the  cat,  "I'll  not  give  you  your 
tail,  till  you  go  to  the  cow,  and  fetch  me  some  milk." 

First  she  leapt,  and  then  she  ran, 

Till  she  came  to  the  cow,  and  thus  began, — 

"Pray,  cow,  give  me  milk,  that  I  may  give  cat  milk, 
that  cat  may  give  me  my  own  tail  again."  "No," 
said  the  cow,  "  I  will  give  you  no  milk,  till  you  go  to 
the  farmer  and  get  me  some  hay. " 

First  she  leapt,  and  then  she  ran, 

Till  she  came  to  the  farmer,  and  thus  began, — 

"This  tale  has  been  traced  back  fifty  years,  but  it  is  probably  con- 
siderably older. 


406 NURSERY  RHYMES. 

"Pray,  farmer,  give  me  hay,  that  I  may  give  cow 
hay,  that  cow  may  give  me  milk,  that  I  may  give  cat 
milk,  that  cat  may  give  me  my  own  tail  again." 
"No,"  says  the  farmer,  "  I'll  give  you  no  hay,  till  you 
go  to  the  butcher  and  fetch  me  some  meat." 

First  she  leapt,  and  then  she  ran, 

Till  she  came  to  the  butcher,  and  thus  began, — 

Pray,  butcher,  give  me  meat,  that  I  may  give  farmer 
meat,  that  farmer  may  give  me  hay,  that  I  may  give 
cow  hay,  that  cow  may  give  me  milk,  that  I  may  give 
cat  milk,  that  cat  may  give  me  my  own  tail  again." 
"  No, "  says  the  butcher,  "  I'll  give  you  no  meat  till  you 
go  to  the  baker  and  fetch  me  some  bread." 

First  she  leapt,  and  then  she  ran, 

Till  she  came  to  the  baker,  and  thus  began,— 

"  Pray,  baker,  give  me  bread,  that  I  may  give  butcher 
bread,  that  butcher  may  give  me  meat,  that  I  may  give 
farmer  meat,  that  farmer  may  give  me  hay,  that  I  may 
give  cow  hay,  that  cow  may  give  me  milk,  that  I  may 
give  cat  milk,  that  cat  may  give  me  my  own  tail  again. " 

"Yes,"  says  the  baker,  "  I'll  give  you  some  bread, 
But  if  you  eat  my  meal,  I'll  cut  off  your  head." 

Then  the  baker  gave  mouse  bread,  and  mouse  gave 
butcher  bread,  and  butcher  gave  mouse  meat,  and  mouse 
gave  farmer  meat,  and  farmer  gave  mouse  hay,  and 
mouse  gave  cow  hay,  and  cow  gave  mouse  milk,  and 
mouse  gave  cat  milk,  and  cat  gave  mouse  her  own  tail 
again ! 


INDEX. 


FIRST  CLASS. 

HISTORICAL. 

PAGE 

As  I  was  going  by  Charing 

Cross 22 

As  I  walked  by  myself 22 

At  the  siege  of  Belleisle 20 

Doctor  Sacheverel 21 

Eighty-eight  wor  Kirby  f eight.    25 
Good  Queen  Bess  was  a  glor- 
ious dame 20 

Ho!  Master   Teague,  what  is 

your  story? 21 

High  diddle  ding 26 

High  ding  a  ding  and  ho  ding 

a  ding. •  •      26 

Hector  Protector  was  dressed 

all  in  green 23 

I  had  a  little  nut-tree,  nothing 

would  bear  it 17 

Jim  and  George  were  two  great 

lords 25 

Little  General  Monk 16 

Old  King  Cole 15 

Over  the  water  and  over  the 

lea 26 

Please  to  remember 23 

Poor  old  Robinson  Crusoe ! . . . .    26 

Robin  Hood,  Robin  Hood 17 

See  saw,  sack-a-day 22 

The  King  of  France,  and  four 

thousand  men 19 

The  King  of  France  went  up 

the  hill 19 

The    King    of    France,    with 

twenty  thousand  men 20 

The  King  of  France,  the  King 
of  France,  with  forty  thou- 
sand men 20 

The  twenty-ninth  of  May 20 

The  rose  is  red,  the  grass  is 

green 20 

There  was  a  monkey  climbed 

up  a  tree 24 

We  make  no  spare 22 

When  good  King  Arthur  ruled 
thisland 18 


PAGB 

When   Arthur  first  in  court 

began 16 

What  is  the  rhyme  for  porin- 

_ger.. 16 

William  and  Mary,  George  and 
Anne 21 

SECOND  CLASS. 

LITERAL. 

A,  B,  C,  tumble  down  D 84 

A,B,C,andD 31 

A  was  an  archer,  and  shot  at  a 

frog 3 

A  was  an  angler 36 

A  for  the  ape  we  saw  at  the  fair.  42 

A  was  an  apple-pie 34 

At  reck'ning  let's  play 82 

Apple-pie   pudding    and  pan- 


Come  hither,  little  pussy-cat. . 
Come  hither,  little  puppy  dog. 
Come  hither,  pretty  cockatoo. 
Come  hither,  then,  good  little 

boy 

F  for  fig,  J  for  jig  

Great  A,  little  a 

Hickery,  dickery,  6  and  7 

Miss  One,  Two  and  Three 

One.  two,  three 

One's  none 

One,  two,  buckle  my  shoe 

One,  2,  3,  4,  5!  I  caught  a  hare 

alive 

Pat-a-cake,  pat-a-cake,  baker's 

man  I 

Twenty,  nineteen,  eighteen. . . 
Who  is  that  I  heard  call  ?.  . . . 

THIRD  CLASS. 

TALES. 

A  dog  and  a  cock  a  journey 
oncetook 69 

Bryan  O'Lin  and  his  wife  and 
wife's  mother 58 


27 


38 


[407] 


408 


INDEX. 


PAGE 

Doctor  Foster  went  to  Glo'ster.  61 
Have  you  ever  heard  of  Billy 

Pringle's  pig  ? 43 

I  had  a  little  hobby-horse 66 

Little  Blue  Betty  lived  in  a 

lane 62 

Little  Tom  Tittlemouse 45 

Little  King  Boggen  he  built  a 

fine  hall 59 

Little  Jack  Jelf 48 

Little  Willie  Winkie 57 

Little  Tom  Twig 53 

Little  Jack  Horner 67 

Little  Tommy  Tittlemouse. .  .  48 

My  dear,  do  you  know 44 

My  Lady  Wind,  my  Lady  Wind  63 

Moss  was  a  little  man 59 

Old  Mother  Goose 54 

Old  Abram  Brown 63 

Our  saucy  boy  Dick 58 

Pemmy  was  a  pretty  girl 58 

Punch  and  Judy 46 

Robin  the  Bobbin 46 

Robin  and  Richard  were  two 

pretty  men 55 

Solomon  Grundy 43 

Simple  Simon  met  a  pieman. . .  47 
There  was  an  old  man  of  Can- 
tyre  65 

There  was  a  fat  man  of  Bom- 
bay    45 

There  was  a  crooked  man 49 

There  was  a  little  man 52 

There  was  a  man,  and  he  had 

nought. .   50 

There  was  an  old  woman  who 

rode  on  a  broom 68 

There  was  a  king,  and  he  had 

three  daughters 69 

There  was  a  jolly  miller 46 

The  man  in  the  moon 63 

The  lion  and  the  unicorn 59 

The  Queen  of  Hearts,  she  made 

some  tarts 64 

Three  wise  men  of  Gotham 56 

Taffy  was  a  Welshman,  Taffy 

was  a  thief 60 

Two  little  dogs 53 

Tom,  Tom,  the  piper's  son 62 

Tommy  kept  a  chandler's  shop.  61 
When  I  was  a  little  girl,  about 

seven  years  old 55 

When  little  Fred  went  to  bed. .  57 


FOURTH  CLASS. 


A  man  of  words  and  not  of 
deeds...  .    72 


PAGK 

A  swarm  of  bees  in  May 71 

A  pullet  in  the  pen 73 

A  sunshiny  shower 73 

A  guinea  it  would  sink 78 

A  cat  may  look  at  a  king 79 

As  the  days  grow  longer 73 

As  the  days  lengthen 76 

Beer  a  bumble 80 

Bounce  Buckram,  velvet'sdear.  70 

Friday  night's  dream 79 

For  every  evil  under  the  sun . .  72 

Go  to  bed  first,  a  golden  purse.  76 

Gray's  Inn  for  walks 80 

He  that  goes  to  see  his  wheat 

in  May 77 

He  that  would  thrive 78 

He  that  hath  it  and  will  not 

keepit 80 

If  wishes  were  horses 72 

If  you  sneeze  on  Monday 73 

InJuly 78 

In  time  of  prosperity  friends 

will  be  plenty 80 

Lazy  Lawrence,  let  me  go 77 

March  will  search,  April  will 

try 79 

Nature  requires  five 70 

Needles  and  pins 73 

St.  Swithin's  Day,  if  thou  dost 

rain 70 

See  a  pin  and  pick  it  up 76 

Shoe  the  horse,  shoe  the  mare .  70 

Sow  in  the  sop 80 

To  make  your  candles  last  for 

aye 71 

Three  straws  on  a  staff 76 

They  that  wash  on  Monday ...  73 

The  mackerel's  cry 78 

Titfortat  79 

Trim  tram 79 

The  fair  maid  who,  the  first  of 

May 80 

The  art  of  good  driving  is  a 

paradox  quite 79 

When  the  sand  doth  feed  the 

clay 79 

When  the  wind  is  in  the  east . .  74 

Yeow  mussent  sing  a'  Sunday.  77 

FIFTH  CLASS. 

SCHOLASTIC. 

A  diller,  a  dollar 81 

At  Dover  dwellsGeorge  Brown, 

Esquire 82 

Birch  and  green  holly,  boys...  81 

Cross-patch 84 

Come  when  you're  called 82 

Doctor  Faustus  was  a  goodman  85 


INDEX. 


409 


PAGE 

Father  lohnson,  Nicholas  John- 
son's son 86 

If  "ifs"and"ands" 85 

In  fir  tar  is 82 

Legomotion 82 

Mistress  Mary,  quite  contrary.  86 

Multiplication  is  vexation 83 

My  story's  ended 86 

Speak  when  you're  spoken  to . .  81 

Tell  tale,  tit! 82 

Thirty  days  hath  September. .  85 

The  rose  is  red 82 

When  I  was  a  little  boy  I  had 

but  little  wit 85 

When  V  and  I  together  meet. .  86 

SIXTH  CLASS. 

SONGS. 

A  pretty  little  girl  in  a  round 

eared  cap 99 

A  frog  he  would  a-wooing  go..  124 
A  carrion  crow  sat  on  an  oak..  120 

About  the  bush,  Willy 102 

As  1  was  going  along,  long  ...    99 

As  I  was  going  up  the  hill 102 

As  I  was  walking  o'er  Little 

Moorfields 

As  I  was  going  to  Derby 132 

Away,  birds,  away ! 122 

Buz,  quoth  the  blue  fly 106 

Dame,  get  up  and  bake  your 

pies 123 

Elsie  Marley  is  grown  so  fine . .  110 

Hot-cross  buns! 112 

How   does   my  lady's  garden 

grow  ? 123 

Hie  hoc,  the  carrion  crows 121 

I  have  been  to  market,  my  lady.  108 
I  love  sixpence,   pretty  little 

sixpence 107 

I  will  sing  you  a  song 132 

I'll  sing  you  a  song 128 

I  saw  three  ships  come  sailing  by  130 
If   I'd   as  much   money  as  I 

could  spend 104 

Johnny  shall  have  a  new  bon- 
net   107 

Jacky,  come  give  me  the  fiddle  106 
John  Cook  had  a  little  grey 

mare  Ill 

Little  Tom  Dagget ...    95 

Lend  me  thy  mare  to  ride  a 

mile? 89 

Little   Bo-peep    has  lost    his 

sheep 97 

London  Bridge  is  broken  down  105 
My  father  left  me  three  acres 

of  land 108 


PAGE 
Merry  are  the  bells  and  merry 

would  they  ring 118 

My  father  he  died,  but  I  can't 

tell  you  how 103 

My  maid  Mary  she  minds  her 

dairy 97 

Oh,  where  are  you  going 87 

Oh,  who  is  so  merry,  so  merry 

heigh-ho! 131 

Old  Father  of  the  Pye 102 

Of  all  the  gay  birds  that  e'er 

I  did  see 113 

One  misty,  moisty  morning. . .    94 

Polly,  put  the  kettle  on 90 

Says  t'  auld  man  tit  oak-tree . .    96 

Sing  a  song  of  sixpence 100 

Some  up  and  some  down 102 

Sing  song  1  merry  go  round  . . .  113 
The  white  dove  sat  on  the  cas- 
tle wall 94 

The  north  wind  doth  blow. ...    Ill 
The  miller  he  grinds  his  corn, 

his  corn 129 

There  was  a  man  in  our  toone.  129 
There  were  three  jovial  hunts- 
men   123 

There  were  two  birds  sat  on  a 

stone 121 

There  was  a  frog  lived  in  a 

well 114 

The  fox  and  his  wife  they  had 

agreatstrife 93 

There  was  a  jolly  miller 103 

Tom  he  was  a  piper's  SOD 116 

Trip  upon  trenchers  an-  dance 

upon  dishes 104 

Three  blind  mice,  see  how  they 

run! ..    92 

Up  at  Piccadilly,  oh  1 89 

Whistle,  daughter,  thistle....  128 
Where    are    you    going    my 

pretty  maid? 88 

Wooley  Foster  has  gone  to  sea .  109 

Wolley  Foster  has  a  cow 110 

Where    are    you    going    my 

pretty  maid? 88 

When  I  was  a  little  boy 98 

You  shall  have  an  apple 89 


SEVENTH  CLASS. 


A  flock  of  white  sheep 135 

A  house  full,  a  yard  full 146 

A  riddle,  a  riddle,  as  I  suppose.  147 
A  water  there  is  I  must  pass  . .  150 
As  soft  as  silk,  as  white  as  milk  153 
As  I  was  going  o'er  Tipple  Tine  152 


410 


INDEX. 


PAGB 

As  I  went  through  my  houter 

touter 152 

As  I  went  over  Hottery  Tot- 
tery   150 

As  I  was  going  to  St.  Ives  ....  149 
As  I  went  over  Lincoln  Bridge.  148 
As  I  was  going  o'er  Westmin- 
ster Bridge 148 

As  I  went  through  the  garden 

gap 147 

As  round  as  an  apple,  as  deep 

as  a  cup 147 

As  straight  as  a  Maypole 145 

As  I  was  going  o'er  yon  moor 

of  moss 143 

As  white  as  milk 141 

As  high  as  a  castle 141 

As  I  looked  out  of  my  chamber 

window.... 138 

As  I  was  going  o'er  London 

Bridge 135,  136, 144 

At  the  end  of  my  yard  there  is 

a  vat 144 

Arthur  O'Bower   has  broken 

his  band 140 

Black  we  are,  but  much  ad- 
mired    140 

Banks  f ull,  braes  full 142 

Black'm,    sant'm,    rough'm 

glower'm,  saw 145 

Black  within  and  red  without.  147 
Congealed  water  and  Cain's 

brother 147 

Elizabeth,  Elspeth,  Betsy  and 

Bess 146 

Every  lord  in  this  land 146 

Flour    of    England,  fruit    of 

Spain 143 

Formed  long  ago,  yet  made  to- 
day    148 

Hoddy-doddy 135 

Hick-a-more,  Hack-a-more 136 

Higgeldy  piggeldy 138 

Humpty  Dumpty  sat  on  a  wall.  139 
Higher  than  a  house,  higher 

than  a  tree 149 

Hitty  Pitty  within  the  wall. . .  149 
Highty,  tighty,  paradighty 

clothed  in  green 152 

Humpty  Dumpty  lay  in  a  beck.  153 
I  went  to  the  wood  and  got  it..  134 
I  have  a  little  sister,  they  call 

her  peep,  peep 136 

I  went  into  my  grandmother's 

garden ...  138 

I  am  become  of  flesh  and  blood .  144 
I  saw  a  fight  the  other  day ...     150 
I  have  four  sisters  beyond  the 
sea ..  151 


PAGB! 
I  had  a  little  castle  upon  the 

sea-sand 152 

I'm  in  everyone's  way 134 

In  marble  walls  as  white  as 

milk 143 

I've  seen  you  where  you  never 

was 142 

Into  my  house  came  neighbor 

John 145 

Jackatawad  ran  over  the  moor.  145 

Lives  in  winter 136 

Lillylow,  lillylow,  set  up  on  an 

end 144 

Link  lank  on  a  bank  .   145 

Long  legs,  crooked  thighs 146 

Little  Nancy  Etticoat 148 

Made  in  London 138 

Make  three-fourths  of  across..  142 

Over  the  water 146 

Old  Mother  Twitchett 136 

Old  father  Greybeard 136 

Purple,  yellow,  red  and  green.  138 

Pease-porridge  hot 147 

Riddle-me,  riddle-me,   riddle- 

me-ree 134 

Riddle  me,  riddle  me,  what  is 

that 135 

See,  see !  what  shall  I  see? 149 

Ten  and  ten  and  twice  eleven  .  152 

The  cuckoo  and  the  gawk 134 

The  fiddler  and  his  wife 135 

The  land  was  white 141 

The  calf,  the  goose,  the  bee. . .  140 

The  moon  nine  days  old 146 

The  first  letter   of   our  fore- 

fadye 148 

There  was  a  girl  in  our  town . .  133 
There  was  a  little  green  house.  135 
There  was  a  King  met  a  King.  143 
There  a  man  went  over  the 

Wash 144 

There  were  three  sisters  in  a 

hall 147 

There  was  a  man  rode  through 

our  town 147 

There  was  a  man  who  had  no 

eyes 148 

There  is  a  bird  of  great  renown  150 
Thomas  a  Tattamus  took  two 

T's 140 

Twelve  pears  hanging  high —  141 
Three  words  I  know  to  be  true  141 
Two  legs  sat  upon  three  legs. .  149 
Two  legs  sat  upon  three  legs. .  145 
Thirty  white  horses  upon  a  red 

hill 146 

When  I  went  up  sandy  hill. .  .  136 
What  shoemaker  makes  shoes 

without  leather 137 


INDEX. 


411 


PAGE 

When  I  was  taken  from  the 

fair  body 140 

What  God  never  sees 141 

Which  weighs  heavier 144 


EIGHTH  CLASS. 

CHARMS. 
A  thatcher  of  Thatchwood ....  155 

Cushy  cow  bonny 154 

Come,  butter,  come 155 

Hickup,  hickup,  go  away ! 156 

Hickup,  snicup 156 

I  went  to  the  toad 154 

If  you  love  me,  pop  and  fly. . .  156 
Matthew,    Mark,    Luke     and 

John 157 

My  father  he  left  me 157 

My  grandmother   sent  me   a 

three-cornered  handkerchief.  156 

Peter  Piper  picked  a  peck 155 

Robert  Rowley  rolled  a  round 

roll  round 156 

Swan  swam  over  the  sea 156 

Three  Crooked  cripples 156 

When  a  Twister  a-twisting  ...  155 

NINTH  CLASS. 

GAFFERS  AND  GAMMERS. 

A  little  old  man  and  I  fell  out.  175 

A  little  old  man  of  Derby 167 

Dame  Trot  and  her  cat 172 

Father  Short  caine  down  the 

lane 173 

Old  Mother  Hubbard 161 

Old  Betty  Blue 168 

Old  Mother  Niddity  Nod 175 

Oh,  dear,  what  can  the  matter 

be? 171 

There  was  an  old  woman 171 

There  was  an  old  woman  lived 

under  a  hill 173 

There  was  an  old  woman  had 

three  sons 169 

There  was  an  old  man  who 

lived  in  a  wood 170 

There  was  an  old  woman  as 

I've  heard  tell 158 

There  was  an  old  woman 168 

There  was  an  old  man  who 

lived  in  Middle  Row 177 

There  was  an  old  woman  of 

Leeds 177 

There  was  an  old  man  of  To- 
bago  160 

There  was  an  old  woman  of 

Norwich...  ..  174 


PAGE 
There  was  an  old  man  and  he 

hadacalf 173 

There  was  an  old  woman  called 

Nothing-at-all 174 

There  was  an  old  woman  in 

Surrey 174 

There  was  an  old  woman  tossed 

up  in  a  basket 176 

TENTH  CLASS. 


A  game  at  ball 194 

A  duck  and  a  drake 195 

A  play  with  the  face 215 

Awake,  arise,  pull  out  your 

eyes 185 

A  game  of  the  fox 218 

A  game  of  the  fingers 221 

Bat,  bat,  come  under  my  hat. .  214 

Brow  brinky,  eye  winky 215 

Buff  says  Buff  to  all  his  men. .  181 

Bo  peeper,  nose  dreeper 215 

Beans  and  butter 208 

Come,  my  children,  come  away  178 

Cuckoo,  cherry-tree 194 

Clap  hands,  clap  hands. 206 

Clap  hands,  clap  hands 212 

Dance,  Thumbkin,  dance 180 

Drop-glove 192 

Draw  a  pail  of  water 213 

Eye  winker,  Tom  Tinker 216 

Eggs,  butter,  bread 217 

Enclosure  game 197 

Flowers,  flowers,  high-do! 217 

Fox  a  fox,  a  brummalary 218 

First  pig  went  to  market 193 

Game  of  the  Gipsy 212 

Gay  go  up,  and  gay  go  down. .  182 

Good  horses,  bad  horses 200 

Green  cheese,  yellow  laces 207 

Games  on  a  child's  features 214 

Game  of  the  cat 229 

Here  goes  my  lord 187 

Highty  lock,  O! 181 

"How  many  miles  to  Barley 

Bridge?" 195 

Here  come  1 205 

Here  we  all  stand  round  the 

ring 199 

Here  we  come  a  piping 209 

Hot  boiled  beans  and  very 

good  butter 208 

Hitty-titty  indoors 209 

How  many  miles  to  Baby  Ion?..  212 

Here  stands  a  post 212 

Here  sits  the  Lord  Mayor 214 

Here  comes  a  woman  from 

Babyland 228 


412 


INDEX. 


PAGE 

Hewley-Puley 185 

Here's  a  poor  soldier 224 

Heetum.  pee  turn,  penny  pie. . .  221 

Handy-dandy  riddledy 228 

Here  we  go  round  the  bramble 

bush 190 

I've  a  glove  in  my  hand 192 

ntery,  mintery,  outery-corn. .  192 

went  up  one  pair  of  stairs 200 

am  a  gold  lock 200 

charge  my  daughters. 212 

went  to  the  sea 218 

I  can  make  diet  bread 225 

It's  time,  I  believe,  for  us  to 

get  leave 218 

Jack's  alive 221 

Let  us  go  to  the  wood  said  this 

pig 220 

My  mother  and  your  father. . . 
My  lady's  lost   her   diamond 

ring 225 

Mary  Brown.  Fair  Gundela, .  199 
My  mother  and  your  mother..  225 
My  father  was  a  Frenchman . .  218 
My  hand  burns  hot,  hot,  hot. .  194 
Margery  Mutton-pie  and  John- 
ny Bopeep 189 

"May  my  geese  fly  over  your 

barn?":..   f. 195 

Nettles    grow    in    an    angry 

bush...6 197 

Now  we  dance  looby,  looby 189 

Number    number    nine,    this 

hoop's  mine. 207 

Niddy-Noddy 194 

One  to  make  ready 180 

One-ery,  two-ery 179 

One  old.  Oxford    ox   opening 

oysters 202 

One-ery,  two-ery,  hickary  hum  209 

Pease-pudding  hot 198 

Put  your  finger  in  Foxy's  hole  219 

Queen  Anne,  Queen  Anne 181 

Ride  a  cock-horse  to  Banbury 

Cross 188 

Ride  a  cock-horse  to  Coventry 

Cross 203 

Ride  a  cock-horse  to  Banbury 

Cross 202 

Ride  a  cock-horse  to  Banbury 

Cross 197 

Ring  me  (1),  ring  me  (2),  ring 

me  rary  (3) 207 

Ringthebell 215 

See-saw,  jack  a  daw  ! 188 

Sieve  my  lady's  oatmeal 188 

See-saw 196 

See-saw,  Margery  Daw 217 

See-saw  sacradown 214 


PAGE 

See-saw,  Margery  Daw 198 

Slate  games 226 

Shoe  the  colt,  shoe  ! 221 

The  fox  gives  warning 231 

The  old  game  of  honey-pots. . .  230 

The  old  dame 193 

The  dog  of  the  kill 226 

The  first  day  of  Christmas 222 

There's  a  good  card  for  thee. . .  194 

Take  this !    What's  this? 185 

There  were  two  black  birds. . .  197 
The  town  lovers 204 


210 
224 


This  little  pig  went  to  market. 

The  poor  soldier 

The  diamond  ring 224 

There  is  a  girl  of  our  town 204 

The  game  of  dump 227 

There  was  a  man,  and  his  name 

was  Dob 201 

This  pig  went  to  the  barn 216 

This  pig  went  to  market 217 

This  broke  the  barn  216 

This  pig  went  to  market 219 

This  is  the  key  of  the  kingdom.  205 
This  is  the  way  the  ladies  ride.  204 
Trip  and  go,  heave  and  hoe !. . .  188 

Titty  cum  tawta 196 

Tip  top  tower 192 

To  Beccles !  To  Beccles ! 193 

To  market  ride  the  gentlemen.  196 

T  wo  broken  tradesmen 209 

Tom  Brown's  two  little  Indian 

boys 204 

Twelve  huntsmen  with  horns 

and  hounds 206 

Trip  trap  over  the  grass 213 

The  bramble-bush 190 

The  fox 1 81 

Thumb  boldjthility  thold 216 

Thumbikin,  Thumbikin,  broke 

the  barn 221 

Who  goes  round  my  house  this 

night? 181 

Who  is  going  round  my  sheep- 
fold? .  201 

Weave  the  diaper  tick-a-tick . .  205 
Whoop,  whoop,  and  hollow. . .  212 
We  are  three  brethren  out  of 

Spain 208 

What's   there  ?  — Cheese   and 

bread 227 

ELEVENTH  CLASS. 

PARADOXES. 

Barney  Bodkin  broke  his  nose.  246 

Here  am  1 247 

I  saw  a  ship  a-sailing 233 

I  would  if  Icou'd 235 


4!3 


PAGE 

I  saw  a  peacock  237 

If  a  man  who  turnips  cries  . . .  246 
If  all  the  world  was  apple-pie.  238 

In  a  cottage  in  Fife 232 

My  true  love  lives  far  from 
me 247 

0  that  I  was  where  I  would  be.  233 
Peter  White  will  ne'er  go  right.  233 
The  man  in  the  wilderness  ....  239 
There  was  an  old  woman  and 

what  do  you  think  ? 239 

There  was  an  old  woman  had 

nothing 246 

There  was  a  man  and  he  was 

mad 240 

There  was  a  little  Guinea  pig..  237 
There  was  a  man  of  Newington.  238 

Three  children  sliding 236 

Tobacco  wick !  tobacco  wick ! . .  246 
Up  stairs,  down  stairs,  upon 
my  lady's  window 246 

TWELFTH  CLASS. 

LULLABIES. 

Bye,  baby  bunting 249 

Bye,  O  my  baby! 250 

Bye,  baby  bumpkin 252 

Dance  to  your  daddy 253 

Dance,  little  baby,  dance  up 

high 256 

Danty  baby  diddy 255 

Give  me  a  blow,  and  I'll  beat 

'em 249 

Hey,  my  kitten,  my  kitten. . . .  251 

Hush  thee,  my  baby 253 

Hush-a-bye,  baby,  on  the  tree- 
top  252 

Hush-a-bye,  a  ba  lamb 252 

Hush,  hush,  hush,  hush ! 248 

Hush-a-bye,  lie  still  and  sleep..  256 
Hushy  baby,  my  doll,  I  pray 
don't  cry 257 

1  won't  be  my  father's  Jack. . .  254 
My  dear  c-ockadoodle,  my  jewel.  250 

Ride,  baby,  ride 248 

Rock-a-bye,  baby,  thy  cradle 

is  green 248 

Rabbit,  rabbit,  rabbit  pie ! ....  254 

Rock  well  my  cradle     251 

To  market,  to  market. . . .  256,  257 
Tom  shall  have  a  new  bonnet. .  249 
Young  lambs  to  sell! 256 

THIRTEENTH  CLASS. 

JINGLES. 

Acatcamefiddlingoutofabarn  267 
Cock  a  doodle  doo! 274 


PAGE 

Come  dance  a  jig 265 

Ding,  dong  bell 259 

Diddledy,  diddledy,  dumpty. . .  260 
Dibbity,  dibbity,  dibbity  doe. .  263 

Ding,  dong,  darrow 273 

Deedle,  deedle,  dumpling,  my 

son  John 260 

Doodledy,  doodledy,  doodledy 

dan..   . 264 

Doodle,  doodle,  doo 264 

Feedum,  fiddledum  fee 262 

Fiddle-de-dee,  fiddle-de-dee....  264 
"Fire!  Fire!"  said  the  town- 
crier  278 

Gilly  Silly  Jarter 262 

Hey  ding  a  ding,  what  shall  I 

sing?.   258 

Hey  diddle  dinketty,  poppety.  260 

Hey,  dorolot,  dorolot ! 271 

Hey !  diddle  diddle 270 

Hey!  diddle  (the  Quaker's  ver- 
sion)  279 

Handy  Spandy,  Jack-a-dandy.  262 
High,  ding,  cockatoo-moody. .  264 

Hickety,  dickety,  dock 266 

Hub  a  dub  dub 263 

Hyder  iddle  diddle  dell 262 

Is  John  Smith  within  ? 279 

Little  Tee  Wee 264 

Little  Jack  a  Dandy 269 

Little  Dicky  Dilver 266 

Little  Polly  Flinders 268 

Old  woman,  old  woman,  shall 

we  go  a-shearing  ?. 267 

Old  Dame  Widdle  Waddle ...    278 

Pussicat,  wussicat 265 

Round  about,  round  about. . .     274 


Rompty  iddity,  row,  row,  row 

See-saw,  Jack  in  a  hedge 

Sing  jigmijole 


265 
260 


Sing,  sing,  what  shall  I  sing  ?. .  261 

Tiddle,  liddle  lightum 263 

There  was  an  old  woman  lived 

inashoe 264 

There  was  an  old  woman  sat 

spinning 272 

There  was  an  old  woman,  her 

name  it  was  Peg 267 

There  was  an  old  soldier  of 

Bister 266 

To  market,  to  market,  to  buy  a 

fatpig 279 

Tweedle-dum  and  Tweedle  dee.  263 

FOURTEENTH   CLASS. 

NATURAL  HISTORY. 

A  long-tailed  pig,  or  a  short- 
tailed  pig 288 


414 


INDEX. 


PAGE 

A  little  cock  sparrow  sat  on  a 

green  tree 295 

A-milking,  a-milking,  my  maid  808 
A  farmer  went  trotting  upon 

his  grey  mare 226 

A  pye  sate  on  a  pear-tree 301 

All  of  a  row 301 

As  I  went  over  the  water 823 

As  titty  mouse  sat  in  the  witty.  311 

As  I  went  to  Bonner 307 

Bah,  bah,  black  sheep 291 

Barnaby  Bright  he  was  a  sharp 

cur........ .283 

Bow,  wow,  says  the  dog 284 

Bow,  wow,  wow 293 

Burnie  bee,  burnie  bee 319 

Betty  Pringle  had  a  little  pig..  307 
Bless  you,  bless  you,  bonny  bee.  318 

Cuckoo,  cuckoo 281 

Curr  dhpo,  curr  dhoo 293 

Catch  him,  crowl  carry  him, 

kite! 289 

Come  hither,  sweet  Robin. ...  297 
Charley  War  ley  had  a  cow. . .  310 

Cock-a-doodle-doo 303 

Cock  crows  in  the  morn 305 

Cock  Robin  got  up  early 302 

Croak!  said  the  Toad 319 

Dame,  what  makes  your  ducks 

todie? 299 

Dickery,  dickery,  dare 318 

Eat,  birds,  eat,  and  make  no 

waste 287 

Four-and-twenty  sailors  went 

to  kill  a  snail 317 

Goosey,  goosey,  gander 285 

Gray  goose  and  gander 318 

Howd'e,  dogs,  how?  whose  dog 

art  thou? 283 

Hurley  burly,  trumpet  trase . .  285 
Hussy,  hussy,  where's  your 

horse 286 

Higgleby,  piggleby,  my  black 

hen 304 

Hickety,  pickety,  my  black 

hen 304 

Hie,  hie,  says  Anthony 319 

I  had  a  little  dog  and  they 

called  him  Buff 323 

I  had  a.  little  cow 313 

I  had  a  little  cow,  to  save  her..  306 
I  had  two  pigeons  bright  and 


I  had  a  little  hen,  the  prettiest 


303 
T  had  a  little  pony  .............  296 

I  had  a  little  hobby-horse  ......  292 

I  had  a  little  dog,  and  his  name 
wasBlueBell  ...........  290 


PAGE 
I  like  little  pussy,  her  coat  is  so 

warm 292 

I'll  away  yhame 281 

In  the  month  of  February 2?1 

Jack  Sprat 282 

Jack  Sprat's  pig 308 

Johnny  Armstrong  killed  a 

calf 815 

Little  boy  blue,  come  blow 

your  horn 283 

Leg  over  leg 284 

Ladybird,  ladybird,  fly  away..  288 

Lock  the  dairy  door 292 

Little  Robin  Redbreast  sat 

u  pon  a  tree 294 

Little  Cock  Robin  peeped  out .  295 

Little  Robin  Redbreast 815 

Little  Poll  Parrot 300 

Little  Bob  Robin 302 

Lady-cow,  lady-cow,  fly  thy 

way  home 311 

Little  Robin  Redbreast 293 

Little  Jenny  Wren  fell  sick  ...  314 

Mary  had  a  pretty  bird 316 

Un  Christmas  Eve  I  turned  the 

spit 287 

Once  I  saw  a  little  bird 311 

Pretty  John  Watts 282 

Pussy  sat  by  the  fireside 327 

Pussy-cat  mole 310 

Pussy  cat  ate  the  dumplings. . .  806 

Pitty  Patty  Polt 293 

Pit.  pat,  well-a-day 301 

Pussy-cat,  pussy-cat 302 

Pussy-cat  sits  by  the  fire 286 

Rowsty,  dowt 285 

Riddle  me,  riddle  me,  ree 285 

Robin-a-Bobbin  305 

Robin-a-Bobbin  bent  his  bow..  287 
"  Robert  Barnes,  fellow-fine".  323 

Shoe  the  colt 312 

Snail,  snail,  put  out  your 

horns 800 

Snail,  snail,  come  out  of  your 

hole 300 

Sneel,  snaul 801 

Some  little  mice  sat  in  a  barn  816 
Snail,  snail,  shoot  out  you 


See-saw,  Margery  Daw 

The  cuckoo's  a  fine  bird 

The  cuckoo's  a  vine  bird 

The  sow  came  in  with  the 

saddle 

The  cat  sat  asleep  by  the  side 

of  the  fire 

There  was  an  old  crow 

The  pettitoes  are  little  feet 

The  dove  says  coo,  coo 


290 
299 
295 


INDEX. 


415 


PAGE 

There  was  an  owl  lived  in  an 

oak  .........................  298 

Three  little  kittens  they  lost 

their  mittens  ...............  824 

There  was  a  little  boy  went 

into  a  barn  ..................  299 

The  robin  and  the  wren  ......  302 

The  cock  doth  crow  ...........  305 

There  was  a  little  one-eyed 

gunner  .....................  308 

There  was  a  piper,  he'd  a  cow.  312 
There  was  an  old  woman  had 

three  cows  .......  ...........  312 

'Twas  the  twenty-ninth  of 

May  .......................    802 


315 


300 


There  was  a  glossy  black  bird 

The  winds  they  did  blow 

'Twas  once  upon  a  time 

4 '  VV  hat  do  they  call  you  ?"  . . 
Why  is  pussy  in  bed,  pray?.. 

Willy  wite,  willy  wite 

When   the   snow    is   on    the 

ground 301 

Who  killed  Cock  Robin? 320 

FIFTEENTH  CLASS. 


RELICS. 

A  gift—  a  friend—  a  foe  ....... 

A  good  child,  a  good  child  .  .  . 
As  I  went  over  the  water  ____ 

As  I  was  going  to  sell  my  eggs 
Around  the  green  gravel  ..... 

Baby  and  I  .................. 

Barber,  barber,  shave  a  pig..  . 
Blue  is  true 


Blow,  wind,  blow  !  and  go,  mill, 
go!  .......................... 

Blenky  my  nutty-cock  ........ 

Charley  Wag  .  .  .  .............. 


Come  let's  to  bed. 

Colors 

Cut  them  on  Monday,  you  cut 

them  for  health 

Daffy-down-dilly  has  come  up 

to  town 

Darby  &  Joan  were  dressed  in 

black 

Girls  and   boys  come  out  to 

play 

Go  to  bed,  Tom! 

Hink   minx!    the    old    witch 

winks 

Hannah  Bantry  in  the  pantry. 

Hark,  Hark! 

High  diddle  doubt 

How  many  days  has  my  baby 


337 
345 


345 
328 
334 
337 

343 

345 
331 
333 


PAGB 

How  do  you  do,  neighbor  ?. . . .  846 

I  had  a  little  moppet 331 

If  all  the  seas  were  one  sea 334 

Little  girl,  where  have  you 

been  ? 333 

Little  Mary  Ester 839 

Little  Tommy  Tacket 339 

Little  Tom  Tucker 341 

Little  Miss  Muffet 342 

Little  miss,  pretty  miss 843 

Monday's  child  is  fair  in  face. .  336 
My  little  old  man  and  I  fell  out  343 

Old  Sir  Simon  the  King 347 

Parson  Darby  wore  a  black 

gown 344 

Pe^,  Peg,  with  a  wooden  leg. .  839 

Ram,  rain,  go  away 335 

Shake  a  leg,  wag  a  leg 330 

St.  Thomas's  Day  is  past  and 

gone 347 

The  man  in  the  moon  drinks 

claret 344 

The  Quaker's  wife  got  up  to 

bake 338 

The  girl  in  the  lane  that 

couldn't  speak  plain 328 

The  children  of  Holland 832 

The  barber  shaved  the  mason..  333 
To  market,  to  market,  a  gallop, 

a  trot 832 

To  market  to  buy  a  plum  cake  346 
Willy  boy,  where  are  you 

going  ? 329 

We're  all  in  the  dumps 331 

Wash  hands,  wash 844 

When  Jacky's  a  very  good  boy  340 
Who  comes  here  ?  A  grenadier  338 
What's  the  news  of  the  day  ?. .  328 
What  are  little  boys  made  of, 

made  of  ? 336 


SIXTEENTH  CLASS. 


A  little  bit  of  powdered  beef. .  849 
A  man  went  a-hunting  at  Rei- 

gate 350 

At  Brill-on-the-Hill 349 

All  the  bairns  unborn  will  rue 

the  day 351 

Cripple  Dick  upon  a  stick 352 

Dick  and  Tom,  Will  and 

John 849 

Driddlety  drum,  driddlety 

drum 850 

I  lost  my  mare  in  Lincoln  Lane  352 

Isle  of  Man 351 

King's  Sutton  is  a  pretty  town  348 


416 


INDEX. 


PAGE 

Little   lad,    little   lad,   where 

wast  thou  born  ? 351 

Little  boy,  pretty  boy,  where 

were  you  born  ? 349 

Lincoln  was,  and  London  is. . .  351 

My  father  and  mother 349 

The  little  priest  of  Felton 349 

The  tailor  of  Bicester 349 

There  was  a  little  nobby  colt. .  348 

SEVENTEENTH  CLASS. 

LOVE  AND  MATRIMONY. 

A  cow  and  a  calf 357 

As  Tommy  Snooks  and  Bessy 

Brooks 354 

As  I  was  going  up  Pippen  Hill  353 
Brave  news  is  come  to  town. . .  354 
Birds   of   a   feather  flock  to- 
gether   372 

Bessy  Bell  and  Mary  Gray. ...  372 

Blue  eye  beauty 373 

Bonny  lass,  cauny  lass 373 

Curly  locks !  wilt  thou  be  mine  ?  372 
Can  you  make  me  a  cambric 

shirt? 366 

Did  you  see  my  wife 360 

Hemp-seed  I  set 360 

Here  comes  a  lusty  wooer 373 

I  am  a  pretty  girl 359 

I  doubt,  I  doubt  my  fire  is 

out 367 

I  had  a  little  husband 368 

I  love  my  love  with  an  A,  be- 
cause he's  agreeable 355 

I  married  my  wife  by  the  light 

of  the  moon 371 

If  you  with  me  will  go,  my  love  363 
It's  once  I  courted  as  pretty  a 

lass 352 

Jack  in  the  pulpit,  out  and  in..  363 
Jack  Sprat  could  eat  no  fat. . .  363 
Jack  and  Jill  went  up  the  hill.  374 

Little  Jack  Jingle. &59 

"  Little  maid,  pretty  maid  ". . .  362 
Little  Jack  Dandy-prat  was  my 

first  suitor 362 

Little  John  Jiggy  Jag 378 

Little  Jane  ran  up  the  lane...    376 

Little  Tom  Dandy 376 

Love  your  own,  kiss  your  own  377 

Margaret  wrote  a  letter 373 

"  Madam,  I  am  come  to  court 

you" 365 

Madam,  I  will  give  you  a  fine 
silken  gowo 367 


Master  I  have,  and  I  am  his 

man 371 

O,  the  little  rusty,  dusty,  rusty 

miller 359 

Oh,  madam,  I  will  give  you  the 

keys  of  Canterbury 364 

On  Saturday  night 360 

Oh!  mother,  I  shall  be  married 

to  Mr.  Punchinello 365 

O  rare  Harry  Parry 376 

Peter,  Peter,  pumpkin-eater. .  372 

Rosemary  green 360 

Rowley  Powley,  puddine  and 

pie 377 

Saw  ye  aught  of  my  love 371 

Sylvia,  sweet  as  morning  air..  856 
There  was  a  little  boy  and  a 

little  girl 356 

The  keys  of  Canterbury 364 

There  was  a  little  man 358 

Tommy  Trout,  a  man  of  law. .  361 
Thomas  and  Annis  met  in  the 

dark 869 

There  was  a  little  pretty  lad  .  377 

Up  hill  and  down  dale 360 

Up  street  and  down  street.  . . .  371 

Willy,  Willy  Wilkin 355 

What  care  I  how  black  I  be  ?. .  355 
"  Where  have  you  been  all  the 

day  ?" 357 

When  shall  we  be  married  359 
We're  all  dry  drinking  on  't. . .  360 
Where  have  you  been  to  day, 

Billy 361 


Young  Roger  came  tapping  at 
Dolly's  window 


370 


EIGHTEENTH  CLASS. 

ACCUMULATIVE  STORIES. 

A  kid,  a  kid,  my  father  bought  389 
I  sell  you  the  key  of  the  King's 

garden 

John  Ball  shot  them  all 3T9 

The  old  woman  and  her  pig. . .  802 
This  is  the  house  that  Jack  built  381 
Titty  Mouse  and  Tatty  Mouse.  396 

NINETEENTH  CLASS. 

FIRESIDE  STORIES. 


The  three  little  pigs. 
Teeny-Tiny...    


....  402 

The  miser  and  his  wife 403 

The  three  questions 405 

The  cat  and  the  mouse 400 


University  of  California 

SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 

Return  this  material  to  the  library 

from  which  it  was  borrowed. 


AUG 


SEP  05  198! 


OCT1 


